Finite Incantantum
by DymondGold
Summary: Luigi needed a break from his life and decided to be there for the two people he loved the most. But what happens when he gets more than he bargained for? One love blossoms while another withers away. There is a darkness within them all that reveals itself amidst deception: Luigi/Daisy, one sided Bowser/Peach, small Mario/Peach one sided Ludwig/Daisy. Just read it you'll understand
1. Chapter 1

**Here's my new story. This will be centered on Luigi/Daisy and some one-sided Bowser/Peach. It might seem angsty and slow at first, but I have to set the stage and mold the characters appropriately. ****I'm telling you now, it will be _very_ dark and will deal with issues such as depression (only a bit), obsession, and torture. I'm taking the Mario-verse and twisting it with this cruel tale, so if any of this offends you or puts you off, stop reading.**

**Or, read it anyway and rant all about it in a review!**

**Hopefully this won't be a cliche story in general. If it is, don't hesitate to tell me so! Reviews and criticism are most welcome. With all that being said, on with the story!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter One**

* * *

I got a letter. It came in the mail yesterday, I picked it after my shift last night. It was a shock since nobody's written me in months. Also because it looked pretty expensive as far as letters went; the envelope was a bright, pristine eggshell white. It had my address scribbled crookedly across the center had but no return one. I turned it over in my hands and popped open the golden wax seal. There was a slip of parchment folded inside. I tentatively pulled it out. It was crisp to the touch and faintly scented: I _knew _that flowery scent. It was painfully familiar to me. It smelled like _her_. I ignored the prickling behind my eyes and unfolded the paper carefully. Once I read through it twice I realized it was an invitation. My brother was getting married in four days and he wanted me to be there. He wanted me as his best man. He said that he was sorry for the short notice and that he'd enclosed a train ticket in the envelope for me for tomorrow afternoon. It would make him so happy, he said, if his brother came through for him on his big day.

_Well whoopdee fucking doo._

I haven't heard from my brother in God knows when. The last time I saw him was over two years ago. We had just finished a successful mission saving the Mushroom Kingdom and rescuing...her. It was all going well and Mario and I were about to head home until _she _decided to throw a feast in 'our' honor; I wasn't daft, not even then. I knew that Mario was the real hero, I was just riding in his shadow. It was hardly fair since I always put in more than my share of work during missions and on several occasions I saved him from dire situations. I never got much, if any, credit for all that. It was fine though, I didn't hold it against him or anyone else. I attended the feast and sat on his left and listened and watched as he effortlessly hit it off with...her. Then when it came time for us to leave, _she _decided to make a 'modest' proposal. She claimed that it would be in the best interest of her people if Mario stayed in Mushroom Kingdom from then on. That way, he wouldn't have to come running every time the city was attacked; this would cut down on time wasted in his having to prepare his gear and get there, thus saving countless lives. Of course Mario agreed, he hadn't given it a second thought. He had asked me to stay with them, to live in the palace in one of the many guest rooms but I declined. I could see where things were rapidly going between my brother and the woman I'd loved for years. I came home. I told him I'd be alright. He was too love-struck to see the signs: I wasn't okay, I was grieving. But I had to give him a little slack, I hid my pain well so that no one would ever see. In fact, I'm almost certain neither he nor _she _knew about the feelings I harbored for so long.

But once I got home, I could hide the pain no longer. I can trace the steps of my descent into depression quite clearly now that it's over. It had to have started with my arrival back in Brooklyn. I was real torn up about them getting together but I stuffed the feelings inside as per usual. I tried to go on living normally, pretending nothing had changed. I took calls and went on jobs and tried to keep the house up but all to no avail. There was only so much I could take. Our business, it was called Mario Brothers for a reason; it wasn't a one-man job. The hectic hours, along with Scapelli taking advantage of the situation, overwhelmed me. I ended up letting the whole thing go. Which meant I had to find another form of work. After a couple of months I did, but it didn't pay nearly enough to keep the lights and water on, not at the same time at least.

I lost the house.

The one Mario and I had lived in all our lives, the one he raised me in. I lost it. I couldn't make ends meet, I was barely eating with the salary I was pulling. So I had to let it go. After I moved out with little more than the clothes on my back, I lived in my car for a few weeks looking for another place. It was rough but still I convinced myself it wasn't the end of the world. I found an apartments complex that rented for cheap and jumped on it. I found out the hard way that there was a good reason it was so inexpensive: It was shitty. Really shitty. Just like my car. Just like my job. Just like my life. It wasn't until after I'd moved into that hellhole that I realized this. And realization slapped me hard. No matter how hard I worked it wasn't enough to do more than pay rent and insurance and keep my car running despite its frequent inconsistencies. The little money I did have left over sometimes went towards food for the month and the occasional coat or new pair of shoes as the seasons changed. It was a horrible way to live and it wasn't long before things started falling apart.

Losing the literal woman of my dreams had taken its toll on my heart, as did losing my childhood home, my big brother, my sense of normalcy. I had nothing to hold onto and nothing to keep myself anchored when those horrid, dark thoughts bombarded my mind. I gave in to the darkness, I succumbed to the urge to just end it all. I was at an all time low and was hardly thinking properly. Otherwise I would've known it wasn't so bad as I made it out to be. But as it was a melancholic fog had overtaken reason and I was weak. I drove my car to the downtown pharmacy instead of back to my apartment that fateful, thoughtful night after I'd gotten off a particularly demeaning shift at my job. Coincidentally it'd been raining. I parked my car and dug through the cluttered dashboard for some change. Then I went in and bought a bottle of over the counter pain pills. They were very cheap but a handful of them nearly did the trick. When I woke up again, many days later, I was in a hospital bed fighting the taste of medicinal charcoal and hooked up to an IV. They told me my landlord carted me there. Rent was due a few days ago and my landlord was a real stickler when it came to his money. I was no longer surprised at the lengths he'd go to in order to get it. He must've saw the pills, otherwise it would've just looked like I was asleep in bed. I was sloppy. If I'd put the bottle away and maybe slept in my car that night, no one would've ever found me. I would've succeeded. I would've died.

I'm glad I didn't.

After I was assessed and discharged, I was prescribed some strong medication. I stuck by it at first, I kept my appointments and I saw the shrink regularly. I had to or my landlord would evict me;

_Get some help, kid, you're a liability, and I can't have a liability on my hands._

That's what he said. But after a year and a half my appointments had dwindled down to none a week and all I had to do was keep up with my medicine. I did of course, I liked what they did for me. Besides the weird dreams I have while on them, they're good at keeping me afloat over my problems. They take my mind off of them I guess so I don't go under again. I've been doing well and coping with the depression, that's what I was diagnosed with. I even started making goals for myself. I had this one where I'd save up my extra money from work and use it to go back to school. I'd get a degree in engineering, it was something I could tell I'd be good at, and then I'd graduate and get a nice paying job. A good house would come next. Then a better car. Somewhere along the way, I'd get over _her _and maybe...no. That was above the limits of even my own imagination. I just didn't see myself getting over _her _anytime soon. I also didn't see my low-end job yielding enough money to put me through school before I'm forty either, but I had to maintain that hope so I didn't fall back into that downward spiral. I had to do what I could to get by. And I was getting by.

Until today.

That letter brought back all those negative emotions to the surface again. The jealousy was there, I had to admit. My big brother had it all, after all. And then the love unrequited. It hurt. The letter and the news of those two getting married rehashed all the things I stashed inside from so long ago. But I wouldn't dwell on it. Not this time. I had to get on with my life. I couldn't think about it, not right now. Thankfully, those numbing pills wouldn't let me.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. With my head bowed low all I could see was the dull hardwood floor and my own bare feet. I looked up and over to my hand, the one that held the letter. The damning letter that had me out of sorts.

"Congratulations, bro." I whispered with a sad parody of a smile.

I reached over and grabbed the envelope from the nightstand beside my bed. Stuffing the letter that was folded in thirds back into the white container, I set the invitation back onto the cherry oak nightstand's surface next to the faux-gold lamp. Very tiredly I stood from my bed and stretched until the white t-shirt rose over my stomach. Time to start the day.

I turned round and began to make my bed. I pulled the navy sheets over the mattress methodically and straightened out my pillows over the comforter. When that was done, I shoved my feet into my black worn loafers and scratched the back of my neck. The room was small enough so that I could get to my dresser in only two strides from the bed. A rectangular navy rug separated the area between the bed, which was against the far wall, and the door opposite it. My dresser was of the same grade of oak as my nightstand and it creaked a bit when I yanked the top drawer open. I dully gathered my underwear and socks for the day and closed it back. From the dresser I walked backwards to my closet. Another space in the apartment that was much too small. It was situated next to the window that hung above the bed behind heavy black curtains. I stepped in front of the foot of my bed and opened the closet, pulling my black uniform pants and slim polo of their hangers before shutting the crooked door behind me.

In the hall across from the tiny bathroom was a closet where I kept my towels on the middle shelf, some bottles of cleaning solution and other supplies on the floor beneath it, and erroneous things on the top shelf. I grabbed a big and small towel and shut that door so that I could turn and walk into the bathroom. I laid my clothes and towels in a pile on the back of the commode and took my blue toothbrush from the cup on the sink. Under the gushing faucet I held it, then coated its bristles with plain white paste. I shoved the stick into my mouth and scrubbed languidly. Once that chore was finished, I placed everything back in its place and stepped over to the tub.

I had to bend over and fidget with the knobs so that the water wasn't too hot or too freezing cold. After I pulled the lever on the spout I pulled the clear curtain across the length of the bathtub. My clothes I stripped and folded neatly, just my pleated fleece pants and white t-shirt: those were my pajamas for the week. I laid the bundle on the edge of the sink and stepped under the downpour. For a moment I let the warm spray calm my nerves and soak me. Then I bathed myself ritualistically, starting with my neck and working my way down.

Having shut off the water and dragged the curtain out of the way, I stepped out of the tub onto the dark blue bath rug and let it swallow my damp feet while I dried off. I dressed quickly and stood in front of the mirror to comb my hair. My hair was nice, it was thick and black and fell to my shoulders in faint waves. The black comb I had on next to the 'cold' knob on the sink glided easily through those locks. I only combed it in a way that kept it out of my eyes. My eyes were nice, too. They were a clear light blue color. Above them were my eyebrows, thin but not incredibly so. Down between them was my nose, kind of sharp but straight, not too big like my brother's, although my skin was paler than the thirty-two year old's. I knew I wasn't ugly. If the women I encountered at work and their generous tips were any indication, I'd say I was pretty attractive. But it wasn't their attention I sought, it was that of another. Those women couldn't compare to her regal beauty.

I blew out a sigh at that and popped the mirror door open. Behind it were empty shelves, save for one that held an orange bottle with white labeling. I reached for it, twisted its top and dropped a tiny white oval into my palm. With the bottle back on its shelf I swung the mirror back in place and swallowed the pill with a handful of water from the sink. The water dripped from my mouth and slipped down my chin. I caught it with the back of my sleeve and turned the light off on my way out of the bathroom.

I trudged down the hall and passed my sparsely decorated living room of two black love seats, a ratty coffee table in front of them, and a blank wall behind them. On the other side was nothing, just more blank wall. The wall gave way to the small area where a glass and metal dinette set was pushed away next to the window, hardly used. Then there was the kitchen, small and only consisting of a sink and dishwasher on one side and a fridge, a slice of countertop where the microwave was wedged, and a stove on the other. There wasn't much space but that was fine. Most of my meals were microwaveable anyway. Not that I couldn't cook, I just couldn't afford to get anything nice like I used to living with Mario.

Like I did most mornings I chose to skip breakfast and just get something to eat on my break at work. I stopped, then went back to my room and got my belt and black trainers from my closet, as well as my work hat and black leather jacket. It was perhaps the only thing that really fit me well. From my nightstand I took out my nametag and clipped it onto my shirt. I looked at the letter lying innocuously atop the wood stand and shook my head.

* * *

_What am I doing here?_

Perhaps for the umpteenth time I asked myself that question. Oh I knew what I was doing here alright. Sitting with my hands clasped in between my legs under the table, staring lackadaisically down at the tall, skinny glass of alcohol I'd ordered. It was what I'd been doing for the last half hour. And as for the 'here', well, I was wiling away my time down in a shady joint that my co-worker had dragged me to. What I had yet to figure out was why I had obliged him this time when usually I turned down his persistent offers to waste away good Friday nights in such a manner.

I rubbed my index finger around the lip of the glass idly. Work was a bitch. It always is. Sometimes I wonder if those double shifts are really worth it. I moved my hand from the glass and slid it over my face slowly. It was that letter, I guess. Having those pushed down emotions jerked back in my face had gotten to me more than I realized. They were getting married. It was official now. I lost her. I now had absolutely no chance at telling her how I felt. No chance to ever make her mine. She was his now, and that hurt. It hurt me deep down to know that whatever I shoulda' coulda' woulda' done to prove myself was now tossed out the window. And on top of all that, I had no choice but to go there and face the both of them. I mean, it wasn't as if I could skip out on something like this. Mario's my big brother, my only family, he wants me to be there for him so I have to be there. It's what's expected of me.

Leaning back in the suede black booth, I folded my arms across my chest. Yeah, I'll have to go. Mario's already sent the ticket and booked me as his best man. It wouldn't be right of me to leave him hanging, no matter how much it pained me to go and be there. And it _did _pain me so much. The pain was what had driven me here, I realized. I didn't know what to do with all these erroneous feelings of betrayal and sadness so I figured I'd give this...binge thing a try. I mean, it works for Terry so why not for me? Hm. What I hadn't taken into account at the moment was that one, I don't drink. Never have in all my twenty six years of living, not even during high school or on my graduation night or during feasts in other worlds even though it was customary to. The other thing, well it's quite simple, really.

Terry and I are nothing alike.

Maybe it was easy for him to come to this club every weekend and choke down drinks and hassle women but that just wasn't me. What was I thinking? I couldn't even picture myself drowning my feelings in a drink, it just wasn't me. I wasn't like him. If it weren't for the fact that we both work in downtown Brooklyn at that pizza joint, we'd have nothing in common. Besides the fact that we were both males of course. First of all, he was taller and of a bulkier build than me with dark, tanned skin and muddy brown eyes. The lower part of his face was covered in stubble and his arms were thick and incredibly hairy. He had short, curly brunette hair that stuck to his head on all sides. Both his dark brows were fat and close together, giving him a rough, angry sort of look even though he was pretty laid back. With a foul mouth and even fouler attitude when it came to women, he and I were polar opposites almost. The only reason I still associated with him was because I sort of felt obligated to. He was the first person I met on the job and he had no qualms about showing me the ropes. If I had to be honest, though, I'd say he was using me. He knew that I sort of felt indebted to him and with the tacit undertones of that hanging over my head, he'd bum rides and money off of me.

"You alright man?" Terry asked me.

I winced as the slurred question reached my ears. Until now I'd been successfully tuning him out, but I guess he got tired of my inattention because he had slammed his fist down on the table to get it focused on him. It peeved me that he'd done that. Couldn't he just leave me to my thoughts? I concealed my frown and displeasure and regarded him coolly.

"I'm fine." I lied.

He shrugged. Like me he still wore his work uniform. The red and black polo seemed to be straining at the seams to cover his broad barrel chest. He reclined comfortably in the booth across from me. He looked to be at ease here. He had about twenty dollars worth of empty glasses littering the table in front of him so that would explain his slur. And the dull, glassiness in his eyes as he sat there appraising me. I sighed and braced myself for whatever was coming next.

"Can I ask you something man?" he started.

I wondered then, if I were to say no would he back off? Probably not. He's drunk. So I just nodded in response and tugged my arms out of their crossed position and once again clasped my hands in my lap. Again I hunched myself over the table and stared blankly into the dose of vodka I had yet to taste. And probably wouldn't before the night was over.

"Are you. You know. _Gay_?" he blurted.

I tensed. That had taken me by surprise, and after working with Terry for almost a year and a half that was saying something. I thought I was used to the things that fly from his mouth, even on the occasions where he's this drunk but this. This was a new breed of blunt, tactlessness on his part. I exhaled through my nose and closed my eyes briefly. Once I was sure that docile cordiality was in place I looked over at him. He looked completely serious despite his inebriated state.

"What makes you say that?" I asked evenly.

I made sure to keep my voice flat, devoid of any sign of offense or anger. He constantly got on my nerves with his abrasiveness but I did my best to stay civil with him. Like I said, I did feel a bit obligated to this man. That obligation was diminishing as time progressed, mind you, but as for now it was still there.

Terry started to laugh, all traces of solemnity now gone from his face and features. He stretched his arms across the back of the semi-circular booth and just laughed. I didn't see what was so funny. Maybe if I weren't so detached at the moment I'd remark upon his aggravating behavior. He quieted after seeing I hadn't joined in his laughter but his eyes were still shining when he settled his thin lips back into an easy grin.

"I mean, look at you," he said.

I did. I didn't see anything wrong or indicative of my being gay. I was in those drab work clothes so nothing particularly telling in that department. My polo shirt did fit me a bit tightly but only because it was made for a female; the manager insisted that he didn't have any more male shirts in stock at the time. Was that the reason behind his questioning? Or was it something else? I really didn't care.

"Man you're not bad looking and you just," Terry continued, "You got b-bitches trailing you at work an' even here. I mean, did you, did you _see_ the last bitch that stopped by this table? She came here for you, man."

I leaned back in my seat and pushed at my left temple. "Hm."

Terry guffawed, "You see, that's just it! Fine piece of ass walked by and you act like you don' care!"

_Who said I was acting, _I thought acerbically. I pinched the bridge of my nose and kept the retort coiled up on the back of my tongue. Terry was getting on my nerves. I didn't feel like being here. I didn't want to be around him. I just wanted to go home. But no, because of my stupid decision to join him I was stuck with the task of bringing_him_ home which, for him, was a good fifteen minutes away in the opposite direction of where my apartment was. I found myself getting more and more disgusted as the night dragged on.

_What am I doing here?_

I still didn't know. I should've came straight home after work today. Why didn't I? This night was a waste, just like I knew it would be. I hadn't drank a single drop of liquor and all the problems I came with were ever present, in addition to a few more. It turns out Terry didn't have any money after all, which I suspected from the very beginning seeing as he barely picked up any shifts this week. Still, it grated on my nerves how badly he had imposed on me this night. If he knew he didn't have money, he should've at least moderated himself and been courteous enough to keep an inexpensive tab. But no, he went all out, getting more expensive shots and glasses. As I paid for our drinks, _his _drinks, I fumed within. Over thirty dollars wasted on alcohol. It made no sense.

"Leavin' pretty early. Something wrong, man?" Terry had the gall to ask me.

I thought it best to just ignore him. I maneuvered my way through the building past sweaty, dancing bodies until I'd gotten to the exit. Once there I pushed open the glass door and pressed my lips together as the chilly wind embraced my exposed skin. It felt good, better than being in the club where the air was thick and stolid with the smells of smoke and cheap cologne. I hurried out from the parking lot in search of my car. It was beat up and raggedy, it wasn't hard to find. I got in before Terry even reached the vehicle and I had half a mind to just drive off and leave him to fend for himself. I didn't, though, I waited for him to come ambling along. When he was inside, I peeled out of the lot and sped towards his home.

Why, why, why did I come here? I should've just come home. Why didn't I follow my first mind? Now I was short thirty dollars that could've been used to do something productive with my off day tomorrow. I rarely got those. Oh well, it wasn't like I could go anyplace now, taking this mooch home would eat up a good amount of my gas. So much that I'd have to lay low until the day after tomorrow so that I could earn extra tips at work and put more fuel in this piece of shit car. I frowned tightly then smoothed over my features. It was a force of habit not to let anything show, as frustrated as I was.

I got to Terry's house and didn't even stop the car before I all but shoved him out of the passenger seat. From there the ride home was a quiet and quick one, not punctuated with my co-workers idiotic rambling and belching. I parked my car in my usual spot once I reached the apartments complex and slammed the door disgustedly. I zipped up my jacket against the cold and stuffed my hands in my pockets. Angrily I strode through the brick archway and headed for the stairs. I had no one to blame for my frustration but myself. I should've just come home and avoided this terrible awful night.

"Luigi, wait up!" someone called.

_Shit, shit, shit! Why her? Why now? _I wanted to throw up my hands and just say to hell with it all but instead I quelled my emotions and schooled my face into a mask of neutrality. Then I turned round and faced the person who chased after me. I was on the second floor, I lived on the third, so I still had a ways to go to get to my room. I waited with patience I didn't feel like exhibiting for the petite person to start climbing the rusted iron stairway. Once she'd made it about a foot behind me I continued walking upstairs at a brisk pace. I was hoping she'd take the hint.

"You just got off work?" She asked me.

I sighed. She didn't need to ask that, by now she knew about what time I got off work anyway. She habitually stalked me, this girl. She was slim and curvy and had thick copper-colored hair that was ruffled in a bob to her chin. Her light grey eyes were ever-sparkling with a certain expectation and she was always toying with the edge of her baby pink bottom lip. A few freckles were sprinkled over her nose and under her eyes and her thin brows often arched when she asked a question or was taken by surprise. There was a tattoo of a viper coiled around her pierced bellybutton and I only knew as much from the many revealing outfits she sported while around me. If only her uncle, the landlord, knew of how frequently she walked around scantily clad. Tonight she didn't disappoint; her jean shorts could barely pass as such and the black sleeveless cutoff shirt she had on was tied off at the back, leaving her midriff bare. She was barefoot, so she must have come from her room not to long ago.

"Hey, slow down!" she cried plaintively.

She had it out for me since I first got here. Frankly, she was a bit too young for me. She, Tanya, was only nineteen. When I found out she was the landlord's niece that only put me off her even more. But she would not be deterred. What she did to me on a weekly, almost daily basis was nothing short of sexual harassment but who'd believe me? Who'd believe that this woman, who sported cardigans and modest capri pants around her uncle and others, was the persistent little minx that she was? No one. If anything, they'd point the finger at _me_. That made me quicken my pace.

Some kind of way as I was just putting my foot down on the last step of the third floor she'd slipped past me and blocked my way. If I weren't so weary I might have laughed. Her five and a half foot frame was the least intimidating thing I'd ever seen. I humored her though, thinking that maybe if I did she'd leave me alone quicker.

"Did you work an extra shift or something?" She inquired, "You're out pretty late."

I sighed, "Yeah, sure."

I didn't know if that answered her question or not and I didn't really care. Honestly I was just trying to shut her up. It didn't work. She stood there rubbing the goosebumps from her tanned arms, or at least that was what she'd started out doing. The innocent action turned into something more as she let her hands roam across her bare stomach and slowly down her hips. She kept her eyes on me, she wanted me to look.

"Well that explains why you look so tired," She mused with her head tilted.

I rolled my eyes. Maybe the cold didn't seem to bother her, but I didn't enjoy just standing here while she played this game with me. I wanted to get to my room.

"Tanya, move. I need to get to my room." I said tightly.

She pouted those glossy lips and narrowed her eyes in mock petulance, "Really, Luigi. Don't be mean." she chided.

I could feel my heart speeding up with anger. "Tanya, move."

The girl did move, alright, but not in the right direction. She stepped closer to me and put her arms around my middle. When she ran them up my chest and around my neck I stiffened. If her uncle were to see us like this I might get in trouble. I didn't need that added anxiety.

"You should come to my room," She murmured coyly, "I could um, help get rid of that stress of yours, help you relax. You're so tense."

I gripped her arms a little harder than I should have and brought them back down by her sides. She looked put out and folded them under her chests, pushing them up while doing so and accenting the faded white word across the bust; _kitten, _it read. It fit her too well.

"Won't you come and keep me company?" She drawled softly.

I stepped around her, "Not tonight."

_Not ever, _I could've added, but I didn't want to hurt her. She was still a kid in my eyes and her affection for me was juvenile. Granted, there was nothing juvenile about her sinful body or her many earnest attempts at luring me to her bed but still, I didn't want to hurt her. Part of the reason I was so polite was because I knew she had some kind of warped feelings for me in addition to the lust. She did come visit me when I was in the hospital, though I did suspect she might have had the intention of taking advantage of my bedridden state. The other part was that I feared being evicted or worse at the hands of her uncle. But it was hard keeping those sentiments in mind with her irking me like this.

"But Luigi-" She started to plead.

I rounded on her and gripped her shoulders. Her eyes glittered excitedly for a moment and her lips parted in anticipation.

"**No**. Tanya." I said with finality.

She opened her mouth and then closed it. She then rose her chin defiantly and said with an edge of disappointment, "Kay. Maybe next time then Luigi."

Tanya brushed past me and started walking down the hall in the opposite direction. As she passed me, she came behind me and leaned up to push a kiss against the nape of my neck. At the same time she slid her hands down my back, lower still. She gave the area at the base of my spine a squeeze. A jolt of surprise wracked my body, then indignation took its place. I shot her a thinly veiled glare but she only grinned and winked back at me over her shoulder. I was shaking when I finally did get to my room and once I turned the key and got inside, I slammed the door shut. I didn't care if I woke my neighbors.

There was a hooked nail on the wall beside the door that I hung my keys on. Onto the coffee table in the living room I tossed my jacket that I'd shrugged out of on the way to my bedroom. I pushed the door open and walked over to my closet. There I kicked off my boots and then strode over to collapse onto my bed. I was too worked up. My heartbeat was quick and my skin was heatedly flushed. I had to calm down. I'd taken my pills for the day so the only other therapeutic method was to take a shower.

I went through the motions and prepared myself for a long, scalding hot session under the steamy downpour. As I thought, the process calmed me. Something about being clean and warm was soothing. But it wasn't long before the thoughts assaulted me once more. I was tired of living like this. I hated my job and where I lived and the company I kept. And I wouldn't lie, even though I stolidly refused that kitten Tanya's advances I was still only a man and very rarely but often enough to shame me I'd thought about. Doing things to that sinful body of hers. I imagined of claiming Tanya but envisioning _her _while I did it. Those thoughts were errant, fleeting, but they made themselves known on infrequent occasions and it shamed me. I grit my teeth.

I hated this. I felt trapped in this. This _mediocrity_ I dared call a life. I had nothing that made me happy. The thing that came close was my modest comic book collection I kept stored away in one of my closets. Maybe what I needed was a change in scene. Maybe I just needed to get away from all this for a bit. I knew that this was my life and I had to make of it what I could, but my goals just seemed so far away and unattainable. Like I'd lost sight of them with all that's going on. I needed to get away and clear my head, then come back and focus on what's important. I just needed a break, that's all. A little time away. I would pack my bags tomorrow and catch the train that afternoon. I would stay in the kingdom and attend the wedding and support my brother, if only as a means of escape from this lethal existence.

For now, though, I needed sleep. Today had been a rough.

* * *

**A/N: So that was the first chapter, kind of wordy but like I said, I had to set the mood/give you guys a feel for this Luigi I'm portraying. As for the OC's, don't worry, they're not important, they were only used in this chapter to further enhance and develop Luigi's character and emphasize a point; you probably won't be seeing them anymore after this point.**

**Well...what do you guys think? Should I continue? Like Strangled, I have this story outlined already so if you like this idea enough I'll post the rest. Leave a review and tell me what to do! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its characters/themes/settings. **

* * *

**Chapter Two**

* * *

I really should've done this last night; packed my clothes, I mean. I'm a pretty organized person, I plan ahead and I'm good at keeping things neat and orderly in my life. Last night, no the entire day yesterday had been rough and all I had on my mind was getting a good night's rest from such disorienting news. This morning I planned on packing up my clothes before I left to board the train to the Mushroom Kingdom but unfortunately I got a little too good of a night's sleep and didn't wake up until almost noon. The train should be leaving around three or four, I wasn't totally sure seeing as I hadn't had time to stop and glance at it, I was too busy chucking clothes into a pile on the bed. Shirts in one pile, pants in another, underwear and socks in the last one. Most of the pants I was bringing along were my work slacks, they were some of the only ones I owned besides a few pairs of dark jeans. The shirts were all black or blue or green t-shirts and were hopelessly wrinkled. I only wore them to bed or on my rare off days. I didn't even remember whether I had an iron stored here somewhere or not.

Once I was satisfied with what I'd chosen, I went over to the bed and began folding each article of clothing quickly. I did manage to go and brush my teeth and wash my face after I'd rolled out of bed so late this morning so I didn't have to worry about that. The clothes that I folded were separated once more, the bulk of which were casual wear and were placed in my small black rolling luggage case. The nicest outfit I owned, a dress shirt and a pair of slacks, were put in my small black satchel. The other stuff I just kinda threw into my old green backpack; stuff like my toothbrush, toothpaste, my comb, my underwear, and a good chunk of my comic book collection. I walked around my apartment looking for stuff that I could've overlooked in my rush. During that cursory scan I added my black wristwatch, the one Mario gave me when I was twelve, and my worn house slippers. I decided to go and pee before I left, and while doing so I remembered to grab my pills. Those I put in my satchel with my nice clothes. I was pretty sure I'd packed everything.

With my backpack on and the black satchel in hand, I extended the handle on my luggage and went about making my way to the front door. While I rolled it along the hardwood I shut doors and turned off lights. _Should I tell my landlord I'm leaving? _I already told my boss. It would be the courteous thing to do. I nodded: I'd call him. I dragged my stuff to the door and set it there, then went to the kitchen where my house phone was set up. I hardly ever used the thing but it was good to have. With it I got in touch with my landlord; of course he didn't answer. He only comes by when the rent's due and only then if I miss a payment, which I try to never _ever _do if I could help it. I left him a brief message explaining things and then went to the door. Clutching my bags, I stepped outside and was glad I'd remembered to wear my leather jacket over my dark polo; it was freezing. I blinked in the afternoon light and then saw someone on the balcony. It was Tanya.

_Great. Just what I need, _I thought to myself. I turned around and put my satchel and suitcase down so that I could rummage through my pocket and get the key. I took my time locking the door. I didn't want to deal with this girl. Still facing the door, I shut my eyes and blew out a quiet sigh of frustration. I didn't want to, but I had to deal with her. She wasn't the type to just take a hint and go away on her own. I turned around and was about to say something when I noticed what she was wearing. It was ridiculous. The girl had on some of the tightest burgundy corduroys that did her slim hips way too much justice and a pair of rugged cowboy boots that jingled every time the heel of her feet hit the railing. She was perched precariously on the railing, I idly wondered how long she'd been there. Once again her tan stomach was exposed as she wore a long sleeve black cotton button up that was pushed up at the elbows and tied in a knot below her chest. Speaking of that area, the top buttons were undone so that the edges of a royal blue, lacy bra showed below her popped collar. Her thick, tangled short hair curled under her chin and brushed her flushed cheeks. I didn't know why the redhead insisted on walking out of her room dressed like that. I suppose I should be flattered at her attempts to impress me but I was only worried for her. The silly girl might get sick if she wasn't careful.

I moved to pick up my bags just as she hopped down from the balcony and grabbed one from me. It was my satchel. She smiled and strode ahead of me. I thought about making a scene but decided against it. I'd play along, if only to make this ordeal go more quickly.

"Morning, Luigi," She smiled flirtatiously.

Stuck in her mouth was a skinny white stick that attached to a lime green sucker. She pulled it out before she spoke, then popped it back between her lips again. I don't know why, but this got on my nerves.

I walked past her and said, "It's not morning."

It was a bit cold, but I was in a hurry and she wasn't really my favorite person. Briskly I headed downstairs but she avidly kept pace with me, even asked questions all the while much to my aggravation.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Wedding," I answered shortly.

"Where?" she inquired.

"Far away." I told her.

_Far, far away from you, _I thought.

"Who's getting married?" She wanted to know.

"A relative." I replied.

"Are you in it?" She then asked.

"No." I lied.

"Oh." was all she said.

I suppose it worked, those curt answers. Maybe she got the message that I didn't want to talk right now. She and I touched down on the first floor and started towards the parking lot. I chanced a glance at her and saw that she had my satchel up to her chest and a soft look was in her eyes.

"So how long are you staying?" she asked.

I said, "Not long."

_Not long enough, _I added inside. _Should've packed more clothes. _

Her grey eyes darkened mischievously, "Good, I can't wait til you get back."

_Why, so you can harass me some more, _I thought to myself. I walked around her to my car and popped open the locks with my remote. As I was loading the suitcase and duffel bag into the front passenger seat, I noticed her still standing there. My head was level with her decorated navel and from this angle I could see the goosebumps littering her smooth flesh. _What is wrong with this girl, _I once again thought. I stood up and held out my hand.

"Give it to me," I ordered wearily in reference to my satchel.

She grinned and held it behind her back, then shook her head. "Nuh uh."

"Tanya," I warned.

She stepped closer to me and batted her lashes with her head tilted up, "I want a goodbye kiss first."

My eyes were rolling before I could stop them, "Tanya, don't start."

She pushed herself onto her toes but I was quicker in backing away. She pouted and took the sucker from her mouth, leaving only one small hand to grip the satchel strap. I reached around her rapidly and yanked the bag from her easily. However, as I grabbed it she dove forward and knocked her lips against the corner of my mouth. I leapt back and glared at her. Those candy-pink lips of hers were soft and sweet, but artificially so thanks to the waxy gloss she'd coated them in. She backed away empty-handed, looking quite pleased with herself.

"Bye, Luigi!" She called as she sashayed away back towards the apartments complex.

I watched her go, too relieved at the idea of being away for a good while to be mad at her for long. I really did need a break, from her especially.

* * *

For the past two hours I went through every one of the eighteen comic books I'd packed at least twice. My mind wasn't on them. I was nervous. I didn't want to do this. What would it be like, seeing my brother again after so long? In all our life we'd never been separated for more than a few days, and at one time a couple of weeks or maybe a month. Would there be some kind of change between us or would things just go smoothly? He did have a knack for setting awkward situations at ease most times. And what about _her_? What would seeing _her_ again be like? My body did funny things just thinking about it, so I chose not to. I looked out the window instead. It was the same old dreary scene; faded tan dirt ground and a washed out baby blue sky. There were no clouds and there wasn't the usual golden glow about the Kalimari Desert that I remembered. It looked like all the life had been sucked from the normally cheery landscape. I gazed down at the book in my lap and flipped through the embossed, colorful pages boredly.

Suddenly the train slowed to a stop. I looked up in confusion at the other passengers for an explanation. They were all fine, nothing was going on, there wasn't a state of emergency so what was going on? I turned my head in the opposite direction towards the front of the train and saw that the a man in uniform was coming down the aisle, checking for tickets. _Well duh, Luigi, what did you think was happening? Has it been that long since I've ridden a train? I've gotta get out of my apartment more, besides going back and forth to work. _

I shifted in my seat and faced forward once more. Might as well get my ticket out now and be ready for when he comes up to me. I didn't have any seat mates, so I put my backpack and my suitcase on the table in front of me. The comic book that rested in my lap I put on top of the wooden table as well so that I could sit up and dig through my pockets for my ticket. It wasn't in the left one. Nor the right. I frowned and checked once more, but it wasn't there.

_That's_ _weird_, I thought. I dragged my green backpack across the table down into my lap and pulled the zipper open. I checked inside but it wasn't in there, nor was it in any of the other compartments. Rummaging through my suitcase that lay at my feet, I came up with similar results. _Where is it? _

"Your ticket sir," The collector stated blandly.

I looked up at the older guy in mild distress and said, "Just gimme a minute."

He could obviously see that I was having a bit of trouble. He told me he'd be back around after checking the other passengers. I breathed a sigh of relief and began searching anew. Right when I was delving through my socks and underwear unabashedly, it came to me. My ticket wasn't here, it was at home. On the nightstand. Inside the envelope with the invitation I'd neglected to pack.

_Ah, man, why? _

I closed my eyes dismally and flopped back against the booth. I sank down in my seat with this new revelation and frowned. _Now what, _I thought. The train hummed to life. I jerkily sat back up and looked over the edge of my seat to see the collector coming back my way. My heart sounded off in my ears and I nervously stood. I wanted to get off this train before he came back, figured I'd save myself some embarrassment. I pulled on my corduroy backpack and yanked my suitcase off the table, then hurriedly made my way down the aisle towards the exit. I made it just as the collector neared my seat. As I stepped off the vehicle I blew out a tired sigh. Well that was a waste.

With my suitcase rolling along the sand behind me, I walked over to the rest station that the train had stopped under. It was a modest wooden structure with benches set on both sides of the large train. I settled myself on one of them to sort out my thoughts. It looks like I'll be walking to Mushroom City now. And with this heavy, hulking suitcase no less. Wait a minute.

"My bag! My satchel!" I remembered aloud.

I left it on the train! After I took out my comic books, I left those on the table as well, I stuck my black satchel under the seat. The saying, out of sight out of mind was unfortunately ringing true. I had to go get my stuff. Rising from the bench quickly, I parked my suitcase beside it and adjusted my backpack. I made it back to the train and stepped up to the platform but as I was ascending the steps, the collector stopped me.

"Ticket sir," He demanded.

I told him, "I don't have one. I left it at home."

He lifted his chin and said, "No ticket, no access. I'm sorry, but I must ask that you-"

"Look, my stuff is on there, just let me go get it." I interrupted.

The guy eyed me warily, "I'm afraid I cannot do that."

_Unbelievable, _I thought. I wasn't desperate enough to hitch a ride on this train for free. It was my stupid mistake to leave my ticket at home, I could admit that much. But couldn't this guy just let me run and get my bag? What did he think I'd do, stow away in a compartment or lock myself in the bathroom or do something else ridiculous that would cause a scene? As he began walking away I huffed and rolled my eyes. I was careful to school my features once more into the picture of politeness.

"Well, sir, can't you just go check and see that it's on there, escort me to go get it, then escort me back off?" I suggested in a calm tone.

He seemed to be mildly assuaged because his eyes softened somewhat as he replied, "Very well. Wait here."

_Where am I gonna go, _I thought wryly. I crossed my arms and turned, then kept an eye on my suitcase by the bench. I could see that nobody was messing with it. All too soon the collector came back with a questioning look on his face. _Had he checked that fast? _

"What compartment did you say your luggage was located?" He asked.

I began to panic but didn't let it show on my face. On the outside I yet remained calm. I had no clue which one I was sitting at, so I told him one at random and hoped it was the right one. He rose a brow but merely walked away again to go check. Now I was nervous. If it wasn't where I said it'd be, there was a chance he'd think I was lying and wouldn't let me get back on here to get it. I should have told him to just bring it to me but I wasn't thinking clearly. I was too nervous. With my eyes still on my black suitcase I tapped my foot and crossed my arms. Seconds, minutes passed without him returning. Finally, the train roared to life and other passengers milled about, getting back onto the train and settling themselves down in their seats. I could see that they were about to depart; _where is he?! _My thoughts were more frantic than my outward countenance and for that alone I was grateful. If there was one thing I could do well, it was keep things hidden. Even from myself, if this latest debacle said anything. I sighed. _What if he isn't coming back? _

Just as I thought that, the guy came back. By now all the passengers were comfortably seated and were ready to go. He stood wearing an angry, disappointed scowl. I wondered why that was.

"I'm guessing it wasn't there?" I remarked flatly.

"You would know." He stated, unimpressed.

I sighed, "Maybe it was the wrong one, did you check all the others around it? I know it's there, just let me go-"

"I will not, sir." He said firmly. "So come off it at once."

I frowned a bit, "What. What do you mean?"

He narrowed his eyes and spoke with a voice laced with scorn and a bit of empathy, "Look, son. I know that the war has left us all on hard times but that gives you no right to try and pull a fast one."

I was utterly confused. War? What was he talking about? I wanted to argue further in order to get my stuff but I could see that the man was genuinely offended and didn't want to anger him any more than I already, inadvertently done. I offered him a tight smile and just walked away. It was a tough break, losing my stuff, but it wasn't the end of the world. I still had my backpack and my suitcase. I walked slowly back to the rest station and grabbed it by the handle, then wheeled it over to where there was a map posted on the wall. I stared at the dull parchment and its drawings until I had a good idea of where the city was and what route I should take. According to the scale at the bottom corner, 1 inch was approximately four miles. With any luck, I should reach the city in two or three hours, at best.

_Might as well get to it then, _I figured. I had to tighten the straps on my backpack so that it was settled high on my back. I carted my suitcase behind me and started the long journey to the city.

* * *

Only about an hour had passed and I had to take a break. It was so hot out and there wasn't any shade at all and it wasn't like I had any water to cool me off. I had taken my leather jacket and draped it over my head while I sat on my black suitcase. If that hadn't been of the rolling variety I didn't know where I'd be; _probably passed out somewhere with the sand piling on top of me with each gust. Soon the buzzards would come and peck at my body, my eyes would be the first thing to go, I bet. _

The heat is definitely getting to me

"Excuse me!" Someone called behind me.

And now I was hearing voices.

"Hey! Excuse me!" They called again.

The voice was getting closer. It couldn't be in my mind. I looked up and turned around to pinpoint its location. I really didn't feel like moving, I just wanted to sprawl out on my back and close my eyes and just lay down for hours. The heat was sapping away my energy and completely draining me. I shook the lethargy off as best I could and discarded my jacket while I stood. I was glad I did, the voice actually belonged to someone.

It was a girl. She wasn't very tall from what I could see, and she was making her way over to me. Her shirt was crisp-white and sleeveless and looked to be cotton. The material billowed over her legs above a pair of pale yellow shorts. Her feet were encased in knee-length lace-up brown boots that looked as if they'd seen better days. She stamped over the sand and approached me. Her brunette hair was in a braid down her back but some loose strands were curled and plastered to her temples and cheeks. Her voice was soft and so were her light brown eyes. She had her head tilted back a bit to meet my gaze. Her forehead was level with the bridge of my nose, her top lip was even with my bottom one. She was nice-looking, but not my type.

"Hi." She smiled nervously.

I swallowed and nodded, "Hey there."

"Are you going to the city?" she asked.

"Yeah." I said.

"It's a long way from here." she remarked.

"Yeah." I said again.

"Are you walking?" she then asked.

"Yeah," I said once more.

There was a pause then. I hoped she wasn't offended by my monosyllabic answers, I was just so hot and thirsty and it was hard to think straight, it was like the sun was boiling my brains. I couldn't wait to get to the city and get a drink of water and something to eat.

She smiled shyly and asked, "Would you like a ride?"

_What? Ride? _My mind perked at the offer. The young woman pointed behind her and I saw that there were three horses back there. Holding their reins was a lanky young man, and another, younger one stood beside him. On the back of the steeds were loads of cargo strapped down with a twine-like rope material.

"Are you sure it's not too much trouble?" I asked her, hoping she wouldn't change her mind.

It was a fault of mine to be so polite but I just couldn't help it. By her smile, I knew that she hadn't. She shook her head and tugged her head in the horses' direction.

"Not at all," She said, "We're going the same way."

I reached down and picked up my suitcase from behind me and the girl waited for me to do so. She then led me to the horses where she instructed one of the young men to take my suitcase. They strapped it down onto one of the steeds' backs and then they both climbed on, leaving one spare horse for the girl. And me.

_I haven't ridden a horse in all my life. Unless Yoshi counts. _

The young woman slipped agilely onto the dark black horse and patted the space behind her. I put on a smile. I wasn't gonna lie, the prospect of riding with this girl so close to me was a bit unnerving. I would be the first to admit to my anti-social tendencies, especially when it came to women. I suppose it stemmed from my antagonistic obsession with _her, _but I had no choice other than to lay those feelings aside. This girl had kindly offered me a ride, I vowed to myself not to offend her and decidedly climbed up onto the steed just as easily as she had.

"Alright, we ride a little fast so don't be afraid to hold on," She advised.

Oh, but I was afraid. I didn't want to hold on to her like she so innocently suggested. In some distorted way I felt like I was betraying _her_, which was crazy since she barely acknowledged me and more importantly because she was marrying my brother. If that wasn't a sign that things were never gonna happen then I didn't know what was. But hey, try telling my heart that. It never listens to me anyway.

When I was on the horse I made sure to settle myself behind her with as much of a friendly distance between this girl and me. She pulled her braid over her shoulder and gathered the leather straps of reins into her hands. Then we were off.

So quickly we were off.

It was calming to be on that horse, letting it take me to the city. Actually, it could take me anywhere for all I cared, so long as it was just going, going, going so fast and so smooth. The staunch wind that had been aggravating the back of my throat and the inside of my nose now whipped pleasingly through my hair and kicked up the bottom of my polo to cool the skin over my stomach. That stifling sun that had moments ago tormented me now descended steadily over the horizon in so beautiful a manner as we rode. After a while I could tell we were close to the city. I could hear noises, could smell scents and see signs of industrialization. The desert sand gave way to firm, un-shifting dirt ground and there were more and more trees taking their place on either side of us. Finally, the ride was over.

We'd arrived.

The girl led her horse past the outskirts of the city and I saw that there were little shanty houses, shacks more like it, scattered on either side of our entourage. The houses had things missing, a door on this one or a few windows on that one, and most of the roofs were just made of a patchwork of different materials. There weren't many people outside but the few who were all dressed alike; in near rags. No matter the age or species, they were all looking pretty rough. I wondered how long this little area existed. I certainly didn't remember it last time I was here. The vibe here was like the slums back home.

We left the grungy outskirts and reached the heart of the city, the marketplace. now this was the part of the kingdom I did remember. Man had it changed. The market used to be a bouncing, cheery place full of chatting little toads and laughing little tykes and good-natured shop owners and haggling customers and the sounds of horse hooves clopping and money jingling and carts wheeling down the cobblestone roads. It was quite silent as of now, not totally so. There was a dreariness about the whole evening atmosphere. People were there, milling about of course, but they seemed lackluster in their way of walking around buying things and making quiet exchanges. One of the shops was a small brick storefront offering sweet-smelling flowers and cool fruits. We pulled up beside this shop and the girl dismounted, so I did, too.

I made sure to scramble down quickly before her so that I could help her down. She looked a bit startled when I offered her my hand but she took it nonetheless and slid down the side of the beast. I broke contact with her soft palm as soon as her booted feet hit the ground. Not because I was so put off by her, it was just my hand was so sweaty and I didn't want to subject her to that for long. I hoped that she didn't feel offended by that.

She turned to face me and gave me a bright smile. "Welcome to the city."

I could only smile with a pitiful fraction of her enthusiasm and say, "Yeah."

_What is wrong with me? _

Not wanting to seem totally inept, I cleared my throat and told her sincerely, "Thanks a lot for letting me ride you to the city, I really appreciate it."

There was a moment of silence as my words sunk in for the both of us. This horrible heat flooded my face and I'm sure it was as red as the bushel of apples in a cart on display to my left. She was faring a bit better than me. Her light eyes had widened and her lips were tugging at the corner. One of her dark brows were raised. There was only a tinge of red on the apples of her cheeks, not all over her face like mine.

"I uh," I stammered, "I meant um. That I. Th-Thank you for the."

"It's okay, I know what you meant," She smiled softly. "And you're very welcome."

I laughed nervously and looked down at my black trainers, "Yeah."

_What is wrong with me?_

It all seemed so moot now, leaving that train in the first place. I did to save myself some embarrassment but in the end I got more than a day's worth of the stuff. It was ironic, really. I ran my hand through my hair and laughed a short, quiet laugh at my own expense. The young woman also laughed at my awkward blunder.

"Thanks again," I told her with a smile, a real one this time.

She nodded and began walking towards the shop with the two young men in tow. As she went, she waved. I was competent enough despite my embarrassment to do the same. Once she was out of sight, I released a large breath and smiled goofily. That was something. Of all the interactions I had with people on a day to day basis, none of them were quite like this one. Usually I was the one bestowing a kind gesture towards someone, like giving Terry money or a ride, or picking things up for someone or busing my co-workers' tables just because. Now someone had gone out their way for me. I didn't expect help from others and I usually never got it and that was just fine I wasn't used to that, not much. I wasn't complaining, though, it was nice. That girl was nice. Too bad I had to mar my first nice encounter with that stupid mistake: _thanks for letting me ride you to the city? What is wrong with me?_

* * *

I knew I had to be gaping but I didn't care. This place was amazing! The huge stone castle was just as stunning as my memory beheld it. Granted it looked sort of different, but the differences were subtle. That's probably why I noticed them, I have an eye for subtlety. Such differences included the moat and how its waters seemed denser and more foreboding than the clear baby blue depths that once filled the vast area surrounding the edifice. Also, the glistening whiteness seemed to have faded over time. It was a dingy color, almost the same as my white cotton t-shirts after they've been through the wash too many times. I looked from the castle's imperfections over to the guards. Had there always been so many members of the royal guard? They stood erect, the lot of them, along either side of the grand white stairs of the castle. For some reason, even the guard possessed an air of cheery dutifulness that was no longer comparable to the stoic coldness they exuded at the moment. They were watching me, waiting for me to make my way up to the castle.

_So go already, _I prompted myself.

I got up a few steps successfully before the task of lugging the suitcase behind me and the weight of my backpack began to affect me. I hid my winded-ness by breathing heavily through my nose and keeping my head down. But I couldn't do that for long, I ended up looking up. And that was my undoing. I froze mid-way in my ascent because for the first time in two years I'd lain eyes on _her _again.

Magnificent.

At first glance, that was what I thought. There should stood, a faraway look in her crystalline sapphire eyes as she stared at some point above my head, off to the side. Her gaze was as distant as her soft smile. The dress she wore was a large, flowing pink and white creation of lace and satin and silk layers that looked more like a confection than a garment. Her hair was as tidy and as golden as I remembered with her honeyed locks swept up and held in place with glittering diamond pins and pieces. Those delicate gloved hands rested on a firm arm, one that belonged to my brother. My had he changed. He had slimmed down since I'd seen him. He was clothed in a strange, regal uniform that consisted of deep reds and royal blues and hanging silver tassels and a sleek black belt. He had his hair glossed and parted and combed neatly, he even had his mustache trimmed and shaped up. He looked so different. If it weren't for his bright eyes glittering with that familiar mirth I don't believe I'd fully recognize him.

"Baby brother!" He shouted in warning before doing the unthinkable.

He came hurrying down the steps towards me. Before my heat-addled brain could think quick enough to back away, he'd reached me and enveloped me in a tight bear hug. His arms were strong around me, just like they'd always been. Funny how I didn't even realize how much I missed him, missed this, until now. Now, when the tingling prickled the back of my eyes and the tears threatened to come down. I didn't care who saw, I hugged my big brother back and trembled a little with my chin over his shoulder. I missed him, I didn't know that I'd missed him this much. I could feel him pulling back and tried to shift my face back into that blank, polite facade. I was surprised to see that his eyes were just as wet as mine had been. He let his tears fall, though, and broke out in a wide grin.

"It's been too long, baby brother!" He said again.

He leaned forward and kissed the top of my head before taking my suitcase from me and leading me up the stairs the rest of the way. Soon we reached _her_. Immediately upon nearing the doors she embraced me. My heart thundered in my chest the closer she got to me. I swear every other sound was blocked out save for that rapid pounding and the blood rushing in my ears. My eyes were hazing over as she closed in on me, wrapped her arms around me and gave me a gentle squeeze. She smelled faintly of perfume, the rich flowery sort of scent, and was soft against me. I could only stand there, stock-still and blushing painfully while she greeted me. When I finally got around to putting my arms up she was pulling away. She had on a smile again, this one focused on me. The things my stomach did at that sweet smile.

"It's good to see you again," She told me in that dulcet tone of hers.

I could only nod. I was afraid to open my mouth, there was a fifty-fifty chance something stupid would come tumbling out. So it was in silence that I followed the engaged couple through the heavy wooden doors into the cool castle and from there up some marble white stairs. I tried to look around and observe the remarkable interior but all that was running through my mind was _her, her, her, _and how _she _was so very close to me. Her skirts were brushing past my leg with each stair we treaded underfoot and it was making me nervous. Worse than that. I prayed that we hurry up and make it to the top of this flight so that I could get out of this sandwiched position. The atmosphere was stifling for me. I felt like a machine walking up those stairs between them. It was all I could do not to retch from how badly my stomach was out of sorts. This was the anxiety I'd feared. This was pain, inner anguish. My fingers were growing cold from how tightly I had them clenched over the straps of my backpack and they were losing circulation. At last Mario stopped at one of the rooms upstairs. He turned the crystal knob with his free hand and pushed the door open.

"Well here you are, Luigi!" he boomed, "It's a little frilly, but you know how things are here." he laughed.

I smiled civilly as if I did. Behind him I stepped into the large room and knew it to be spare. But it was easily larger than my one-bedroom apartment. The stone floor didn't creak under my scuffy trainers, nor did the bed squeak noisily as Mario laid my suitcase atop it. He turned to leave with _her _on his heels.

"Go ahead, rest, relax," he advised, "Dinner's in an hour, just come on downstairs when you're ready."

I nodded.

She was the one who closed the door. Before doing so she told me, "It really is good to see you again, Luigi."

I plastered a tight smile onto my face, "And you as well...Princess."

She smiled even more at that and closed the door slowly. I breathed well again at last.

Now that they were gone, I dropped my backpack onto the floor at the foot of the bed and observed my new temporary room. It was nice but it was indiscreetly feminine. The wooden bed was carved in a way that curved delicately and gave off a girlish air as it was pushed against the wall long-ways in front of the door. There was an oval shaped floral rug to catch one's feet as they tore themselves from the clean white linen sheets of the twin-sized bed, and next to that was a small nightstand. It had a doily spread atop it and a gold trim white porcelain vase on top of that. The window spanned the far wall opposite the door and was covered in long, pale pink drapes. There was another crystal doorknob that I inspected closely. Upon opening it, I was astounded at the size of the closet. It was a bit narrow, but I could walk seven steps forward and four back and forth. It was bare for now. On the same wall as the closet, adjacent to the window, was a short, embroidered peach couch and another door. This one was open and revealed a good-sized bathroom. The stone floor, standing face-board, smooth sanded stone tub and the shower beside it were somewhat out of place, along with the toilet, in this medieval-esque castle. Knowing my brother, he was probably the one responsible for the change.

I stretched. _Guess I should get that bath now,_ I figured. I crossed the room and took my backpack and my suitcase and carried them over to the closet. I shoved them in a corner in the closet and then took out some clothes to change into. In the bathroom I laid my clothes out turned on the shower. The water was hot and soothing, it was just what I needed to wind me down from today's tense toiling events. I dressed quickly and combed my hair and began walking downstairs. I was incredibly hungry and it wasn't exactly cordial behavior to hole up in this room so I had to go and face those two.

As I was descending the marble staircase I noticed that I was severely under-dressed. My black pajama pants, white t-shirt, and dark house loafers were comfortable but hardly appropriate for dinner at the castle. Too late I realized this. I supposed my brother would understand, and so would she, the princess. If not then oh well. I was already dressed and I didn't feel like putting anything else on. I really just wanted to eat and go to bad, to avoid all social activity for the night entirely. But I knew that wouldn't be the case. I found the dining room on my own and could hear that the engaged couple were already talking in hushed tones. I frowned before entering the room. Those weren't the lovey-dovey kind of hushed tones, more like the passive-aggressive argument kind of hushed tones. I didn't feel it right to intrude but my stomach would hardly allow me to stand there all night waiting for them to sort things out. When I strode awkwardly into the room, Mario looked up at me. The princess looked at him. He felt her gaze and looked at her. She then looked at me. So did Mario again.

I had eyes only for the food.

It was more than enough for just three people. There were plates already made for me at the table containing an entree of chicken, a side of some kind of salad and some bread as well as some fruit, a slice of pink cake, and a tall glass of sparkling juice. I pulled out the chair beside my brother, the princess was on his other side and he sat at the head of the table. Rather than eat the food, I greeted them both with a nod and a fake smile and inhaled most of it. It was hard to remember decorum when I was so hungry. That food was rich and hit the spot in places I didn't know could be satisfied.

"So Luigi," The princess began.

When she cleared her throat lightly I started. I hadn't realized how silent things had been until that soft little noise rang through it. Her trailing remark left the impression that she had something she wanted to say to me. It was probably her way of easing into the inevitable, unbearably civil pleasantries of the evening. I swallowed some salad and braced myself.

"Yes, princess?" I prompted.

She hadn't changed out of her clothing from earlier and neither had Mario. It did well to make me feel out of place but not to the point where I'd do anything about it, like go back and change. I was tired. It had been a long day. Speaking of which.

The royal asked me, "How was your trip?"

"It was good," I lied.

My brother smiled over the rim of his glass and asked, "Did you get the ticket I sent you?"

_Might as well not have for all the good it did me, _I thought. What I said aloud was an edited version of the truth. I didn't want him worrying and I didn't want to complain. Things could've been worse. I could've missed the train or lost all of my luggage in that compartment.

"Yeah I got it. I left it at home, though, and had to get off the train. No harm done, though. I only lost a bit of my luggage but it's okay. It would've only slowed me down, walking through the desert you know." I stated lightly.

I was about to resume eating when a loud clang resounded throughout the hall. The princess had let her silver fork slip from between her gloved fingers and her face was frozen in an expression of piteous empathy and distress and concern. She sat that way for a few seconds before turning and laying into Mario.

"You see!" She cried, "I told you you should have picked him up."

Mario rolled his eyes to the ceiling at her mild outburst, "Ah, Peach it's fine. He's here, isn't he?"

"No, it's not fine, Mario," she softly insisted. "he had to get off the train and he. He lost all his clothes,"

"Not all of them," My brother spoke, "He still had two bags. I'm sure some of the clothes were in there."

"But what about the ones that weren't?" She responded.

Mario shook his head and smiled, "I'll just loan him some of mine. It's fine. Stop worrying,"

That quieted the princess but I could see she was still upset. It was in the slight part to her lips, indicative of her desire to say more on the subject, and it was in her eyes swirling with discontent. I hoped it wasn't all on my behalf. I was fine, just like Mario said. I'd make due, as usual. It was nothing for them to be arguing about. The tension settled itself stolidly within the room. I didn't like it. I tried to ignore it and keep eating, but it bothered me. I just wanted to set things right again, to make that uneasiness in the room go away. I felt responsible for that little argument and I wanted to fix my mistake.

I cleared my throat. "I really am fine. You know. A um, a girl gave me a ride to the city on her horse so I hardly walked much at all."

Another lie, this one meant to reassure. The princess was busy staring at her cake but I could see her countenance soften at my claim. Mario winked at me and chuckled.

"A girl, eh? Was she cute?" He teased.

I only shrugged.

"What was her name?" The princess asked.

It occurred to me then that I had no clue. I hadn't thought to ask. We hadn't even introduced ourselves to one another. That was a shame. The girl had gone out her way for me and I'd just abandoned decent manners that spoke of just getting her name. I sort of flushed with shame and looked down. The couple took it the wrong way, or at least Mario did. He laughed harder and waggled his eyebrows. The princess still expected an answer that I didn't care to give. I resorted to taking a piece of chicken in my mouth and gazing at her apologetically while pointing to my full mouth.

"Is the chicken too tough?" she inquired worriedly, "I knew we should have had soup."

Mario waved a hand, "Nah, soup doesn't fill you up."

"It fills me up just fine," The princess remarked while dabbing at her mouth with her napkin.

Mario said, "Yeah well some of us have stomachs bigger than a grape, eh Luigi?"

He laughed and nudged me with his elbow so that I would do the same. I didn't much feel like laughing. The princess had a cross look on her face briefly before she forced a pasty smile like I did. She hadn't appreciated that joke and knowing that she hadn't, I couldn't enjoy it either. Besides, it wasn't funny. None of my brother's jokes ever were. At least that hadn't changed while so many others had. Like this odd behavior between the two of them. It didn't feel right. The mild arguing, the veiled remarks. It was uncomfortable to be around them because I hadn't expected them to be acting like this toward each other. It was weird. I thought they'd be happier and doe-eyed and sappy around one another like they were two years ago. What had changed, I wonder?

"I think I'm gonna call it a night." I said flatly, "I'm pretty tired. Huge lag from inter-dimensional travel and all." I attempted to jest.

My jokes were no better than my brother's but at least they were never at anyone's expense but my own.

I stood and was about to take my plates out of instinct before I caught myself. I pushed my chair in, stretched, and smiled again. All that fake smiling took a toll on my facial muscles. It couldn't be healthy, I'm sure.

"Night, bro." I called, then turned to the royal. "Goodnight princess."

They each nodded but were losing themselves to another soft-spoken squabble. I hurried up the stairs with my stomach full and my eyes heavy. I remembered which flowery bedroom was mine for the night and slipped past the door, shutting it behind me. The bed that I climbed into was nothing like the one back home. It was nice and plush. There was no draft coming in from the window like back home, either, so I could feel myself drifting off as soon as I got settled. My mind was on my brother and his fiance, and how they seemed a bit off.

Was something wrong between them, or was I looking too much into it?

* * *

**A/N: That's it for this chapter. You know the drill, tell me all about what you think in a review! Should I still continue now that you've had a bit more of the concept laid out? Granted it's not much more than a little peek but hopefully it'll give you an idea of what's to come. By the way, I'm a twisted authoress, I tend to have many twists in my stories so be prepared! **

**Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for reviewing and faving and following! It means a lot to me!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mario or its franchise, it belongs to the people over at Nintendo.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Seeing _her _again for the first time had been hell for my body and my nerves and it was a wonder I got much sleep last night. However, I kinda figured that same anxiety would plague me this morning, and every morning thereafter that I was here. But that didn't turn out to be true. All through breakfast I sat and ate the fruit and sweet bread they gave me without a word. Breakfast was a quiet affair. Of course I saw her, noticed her and all, but today I felt only a fraction of the emotions I previously beheld. It was weird. My heart was racing but not as fast. My hands were sweating but not as much. I found it easier to concentrate on the food more often than on her eyes or her mouth. It was a change. A lot had changed here. The people weren't as friendly as I remembered; they weren't hostile, nor was the environment, I just remembered this place and its denizens being a lot less forlorn. My brother's changed, too. I already noticed his weight loss, it wasn't drastic it just made him look more burly than rotund. He was muscular now, which was a sort of shock to see. My older brother has been sort of chunky all his life but now he...wasn't. In addition to that, he looked edgy around the eyes now. Like he's been stressed out for months on end. How did that happen? I almost missed that detail, what with that old jovial front Mario kept up. Another thing was the tension around him and her, I could feel it as I was again sandwiched in between them. I fell back a little so that they were both ahead of me. They both walked with it weighing on their shoulders. It was barely detectable, like the edginess around Mario's eyes, but I could still tell it was there. What was that all about? What in the world happened in the two years that I was gone to inspire all this change?

"Whoa, there, little brother," Mario chuckled.

I wasn't paying attention, just walking and had consequently plowed right into my brother's back. Apparently they had stopped at the staircase. I stepped back and stood in wait for them. I had nothing to do today so I was waiting to see what they had planned.

She, the princess, looked at me then. "Would you like a tour of the castle, Luigi?"

I know I said that the feelings had dampened, but they were sure surfacing at that moment. My throat swelled and closed over my voice so that all I could do was nod. This pleased her.

"Good! Mario and I can give you a tour then." She suggested.

I looked from her powder-pink lips over to my brother. He had that look on his face. The same one he wore way back in the days we were kids. It was a look he sported just before letting me know he was sorry but he wouldn't be able to pick me up from the mall or someplace and that I'd have to find a cab or take the bus home. Filled with regret I'd later learned was mostly false and a smattering of apology, that look was enough of a foreshadowing of what was to come.

"Ehh," He sucked in a bit of air through the side of his mouth, "No can do, Peach."

Absolutely crestfallen was how the princess looked in that instant. The smile she'd pushed onto her lips faltered and her brow furrowed. She looked hurt.

"Why not?" She asked with just a hint of something hard and unlike her.

I stepped back a little more and observed them. They were doing it again, arguing. I didn't picture them ever behaving like this. Weren't they supposed to be getting married in a few days?

"I don't have time," was his excuse, "I'm really behind on some paperwork."

She asked, "Can't you do that tomorrow?"

Mario shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. He'd combed it differently, usually he had it straight back but now his chestnut locks were parted and gelled down neatly. The white glove that came up to his wrist came through the back of his hair stained with tiny grease spots.

"It has to be done this morning," Mario insisted. "Otherwise it'll back up worse than an old septic system."

I suppose that was meant to be a joke, but like I said, his jokes were always bad. Never funny. _That wasn't just bad, it was gross. _Those were some horrid memories that joke brought to my mind. I learned a while back the lengths Mario would go to, the jobs he would take to outshine Scapelli.

The princess had her own gloved hands clasped around themselves at her waist. Her skirts were wide and flowing as per usual and soon she released her hands and let them clutch a bundle of the multi-layered fabric at her sides. She picked her hem up off the marble floor and crossed over to the second stair.

"Come, Mario, it'll only take a few minutes." She persisted.

Mario sighed and looked away, "I have work."

"As do I, but can't you spare a little time for your brother?" She asked severely. "Luigi hasn't been inside the castle, not since you moved in."

"He was here at the feast," Mario responded.

The response was said in a way that resembled a smart-alleck child rattling off an answer to their mother. To which the princess gave him a look that stated all too clearly, _don't give me that bullshit. _

"...Honestly, Mario." was what she quietly stated aloud.

I decided to intervene. With an unwanted step forward closer to the pair I cleared my throat pointedly. They both settled their gazes on me. Hers was mildly agitated but Mario's was sort of interested. I suppose that was what he wanted anyway, a diversion or something. Anything to get him out of the hot seat.

"I think I'll just go look around the city," I said placatingly, "You know, sight-see."

Immediately the princess' eyes softened and she visibly relaxed. At her waist were her hands again as she clasped them and rose an anxious brow.

"Are you sure you'll be okay with doing that?" she asked me gently.

Her smile seemed to be causing her pain to maintain.

I nodded, "Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine."

Mario gave me a wry smile and a wink before he left. He couldn't do so without the princess giving him a scathing look full of reproach. I didn't know she harbored such strong emotions within that delicate frame of hers. Mario saw that look and just rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.

* * *

It didn't take long for me to get dressed seeing as my selection was limited to t-shirts and jeans. I picked a simple white shirt and dark black jeans that fit me a little slimly, then pulled on my black trainers and my leather jacket. I really needed to get some more clothes but these had to last me for now. Content with what I wore, I left the front doors of the castle and bounded down the huge white stairs. Already I was getting my calm back by being away from the bickering couple. The day was quite young, only a little chilly, and though there was a sort of solemn air about the city it was still nice to be in the quiet rather than the loud brashness of downtown Brooklyn.

With my hands driven into my pockets I walked around and just looked. There was much to see, especially when I got to the marketplace. People were getting up for the day, walking around with their horses and milling about. Shops windows were being pushed open as various goods were being put on display for waiting customers and speculators. The leaves on the ground crunched under my feet as I walked. Must be autumn here, it was around winter back home and freezing cold. Then again, it was always cold in that damn apartment.

Upon looking around, I saw a familiar face. It was that girl, the one who'd given me a ride yesterday. She was sitting on an old brown three-legged stool with her feet swinging idly back and forth. Again I saw that she wasn't the tallest sort, those same lace-up boots she wore yesterday were only brushing the ground by the tips as they dangled. Her hands were on her knees, which were clothed in a pair of threadbare brown pants. The loose, long-sleeved blouse she wore was pushed up at the elbows and was a faded beige color. It was missing a few buttons towards the bottom. She hadn't seemed to see me staring, for that I was glad. Currently she was looking away with a mildly disinterested air and every now and again she'd bring her hand up from its place on her thigh to brush her long dark hair out of her face.

Maybe it was because she was the only soul in sight that seemed remotely familiar to me at the moment; that or something else had me walking over to her. Halfway to the little shop she was seated in front of I veered to the right. This detour still brought me close enough to catch her attention. I tried to feign unawareness but kept her in the corner of my eye. My plan was to avoid the most awkward situation my body had very nearly forced me into by steadily edging away to another part of the market before she addressed me. I studied the hell out of those sweet-smelling fruits and vegetables while I did so. There were only a handful of each kind, but the variety made up for the short supply. Cantaloupes, tomatoes, squash, even strawberries sat fancily on display. Strawberries; my favorite thing to eat. So small but so expensive where I was from. Did that apply here or were they pretty cheap? I wouldn't say so, there weren't too many of them. I was tempted to pick up some but remembered I didn't bring any cash, not that it'd do me any good in a coin-based society such as this one.

"If I didn't know any better," someone started, "I'd say you were stalking me, mister."

I froze. Suddenly I remembered what it was I was supposed to be doing but it was too late. The girl had noticed me, it was her who had spoken, she was talking to me. I turned from the fruit to her. Her legs were crossed now. I saw that she was situated in between not just the fruit and vegetable cart I saw, but another one to her left. Her light eyes and mouth held a glint and a lilt. She was teasing. So why couldn't my heart get with the program and calm down already? It was beating quicker, as if I'd just stolen something and been caught.

"I'm not...Stalking you, that is." I told her.

My voice sounded weak and lame to my own ears, I could only imagine what she thought. I tightened my hands into fists in my pockets and waited for this interaction to be over. The girl lifted a brow and settled her hands on the windowsill of the shop behind her.

"Really? Well if you're not stalking me," She challenged, "How come you're here?"

I blinked and reached over for something. I grabbed the easily accessible neck of a bag from the cart closest to me without looking what was inside. Whatever it was, it carried some weight. I held her gaze with a coolness I'd built up over the years.

"I was just buying these," I claimed in a voice not as lame as before.

Now she smiled even wider. "Oh? And what will you do with all those?"

I looked to my supposedly desired merchandise and saw that I'd picked up a bushel of bright green apples. What to do with them indeed. I had no answer for her so I just quirked a bit of a feeble smile and shrugged. I felt. Stupid. Here I was, trying to avoid social embarrassment once more and running headlong into it. She probably knew I was lying, and no doubt thought I really was stalking her. _What is wrong with me? _

When I looked back up I jumped inside. The girl was off her stool and closer to me than I would've thought. She tilted her head and pointed to the apples.

"If you're up to it, I have an idea of what you can do with them." She proposed.

I nodded, "Yeah, sure."

"Okay. Just gimme a second," She told me.

Again I nodded and watched her turn on her heel and walk off. Her shirt billowed up and trailed away from her body behind her. She made her way through the crowd of people and toads and other creatures and animals. She disappeared into the shop. _I wonder what she has on her mind. It might prove interesting. Maybe there was some good that came of talking with other people after all, or maybe it's just her. She seems nice,_ I thought._ Oh, that reminds me, I should get her name this time. _

The girl emerged from the shop once more with two dark-haired young men in tow. They were the same ones from yesterday. From the looks of it, she had brought them out so that they could take up her position over the carts. She left those two and went behind the brick shop, then came back around with two horses. One of the set of reins she handed to me.

"This way," She grinned.

I smiled a little back. This was certainly something.

The horses were both black through and through, from their sleek coats to their shiny eyes and clopping hooves. I guided the one she'd given me carefully so that I was out of the way of other animals and people. She led and I silently followed. I didn't know what to do with my free hand, so I shoved it in my pocket as we walked. Away from the marketplace and towards the thick wood behind it she headed. I remembered my resolution and called out to her.

"Excuse me," I said.

_Why is my voice so...unimpressive? Would I stop if someone told me to in that kind of voice? Don't think so. _But she did. She stopped and turned around and looked expectantly up at me. I lost a bit of my nerve.

"I uh, just wanted to get your name," I said.

I had to refrain from adding, 'if it's all the same' or something sheepish to the end of that. She immediately looked a bit abashed from the slight coloring in her cheeks. I wonder why that was.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I should've introduced myself earlier, forgive me," She stammered, "I'm um, Daisy. It's nice to meet you."

She held out her hand to me and I just looked at it. _Shake it, genius, and give her your name! _I wished then that the hand I had to delve out of my pocket wasn't so sweaty. As it was, I had that and only that to offer her seeing as the other that gripped the leather reins was in no better shape and also held the bag of apples. She took my hand nonetheless in her own smaller, considerably drier grip.

"I'm Luigi. By the way," I told her.

She nodded and smiled and ducked her head before going back to the reins. It was in silence once more that she continued to lead me. I didn't know if she was always this quiet or if the sweatiness of my palms bothered her. Not knowing if I was right or if I was over-thinking things was working on my nerves.

"So where are we going?" I let the question roll off my tongue then.

I had meant for it to sound casual, not so desperate and demanding. Or maybe that was just me over-thinking things again. I did that more when I was nervous.

The girl, Daisy, turned around and winked, "You'll see."

I shrugged to myself. I didn't care to know really. It didn't matter so long as we were going somewhere. It was nice to have something to do. If it weren't for her, I'd most likely be wandering around the marketplace still. How far we'd gotten from there now. The path she'd taken up was well-worn into the ground. I enjoyed the sharp smell of pine or whatever tree that was growing in abundance here. This walk was calming me down and helping me relax. Soon we stopped. It was a clearing we came to, no, a break in the woods. In front of us was a huge lake.

"We're here," Daisy declared.

I looked over to her, "To do what?"

_So blunt, _I winced. It had come out the wrong way. Luckily, she didn't seem to have taken any offense. She tied her horse to a tree and then did the same with the one I had once I gave her the reins. Then she stood away from the tree and pointed to the back I had. I forgot about them.

"To get rid of those," She answered.

She made to grab them but I stopped her.

"Wait. I don't have any money," I told her honestly.

She pulled her hand back but said gently, "Oh that's alright, I'm not charging you."

With that I sort of relaxed and held the bag open. It was a thin material that enclosed the crisp fruit. She reached in and took out one apple, then handed one to me.

"You have experience with horses?" She asked.

"A little," I said.

When she began to feed one horse I followed suit. So that's what she wanted to do. Hm. It was nice. I did have a few experiences with horses, and Yoshi, so feeding them was no problem. The horse responded well to me as I pet it head and stroked the side of its neck. It had definitely been a while since I...wait a minute. Had I ever done something this peaceful? It was a shame I couldn't remember. Daisy seemed to be out of words. She was still in the corner of my eye so I could see her sneaking glances at me. It was a few minutes later when I reached into the cloth bag but came up with nothing but my hand brushing her soft fingers. I immediately let go. Of everything. The bag fluttered to the ground and I mumbled an apology.

"It's okay," She said easily, "That's all of them."

She walked over to the lake with the bag in hand. Close to the shore she sat, still in the grassy area though. With her legs folded in she began to stare out at the beautiful body of water. In the drab city, it was about the only thing that looked untouched by the grey aura. The waters were dark but shimmery and rippled with aquatic life. Several fish were skimming the surface and their red or blue or green scales reflected the light of the rising sun nicely. It was a soothing sight.

"Do you wanna sit down?" Daisy suggested.

I blinked and looked down at her. I don't know how long I was standing there, for quite some time apparently. My legs were aching. I nodded at her question so she wouldn't think I was ignoring her and moved across the land to beside her in the cool grass. Well beside was a relative term. There was a decent amount of space between us. I would've crossed my legs like her but the black jeans were tighter than they ought to be so I just stretched my legs out in front of me.

Daisy looked over at me but when I looked from the lake to her she blushed and looked down at her lap, then started to mess with the cloth bag on her lap. She didn't say anything but I could easily see that she was shy. It wasn't the first time I'd seen a girl act that way around me. At least I wasn't the only one who felt nervous in these situations. But oh, how much easier it was to talk when I didn't have to look directly at the person in question. As long as she didn't say anything, I resolved to keep my gaze on the lake in front of me.

"So where are you from, Luigi?" She asked.

"Not from around here," I replied.

She blinked and nodded. "Oh. I figured you weren't from around the city."

_I really shouldn't be so short with her; this isn't Tanya, after all,_ I thought. _And thank God for that._ That cryptic front was an automatic thing, it was something I used against nosy people. But Daisy wasn't being nosy, she was just trying to be polite. I wouldn't hurt her feelings.

"I am from a city, just not this one," I spoke.

"Which one are you from?" She wanted to know.

"Brooklyn." I answered.

She perked and looked over at me, "Oh! That's where Prince Mario is from."

I didn't flinch though I was inclined to. "Yeah. That's my older brother."

She didn't say anything so I was forced to tear my eyes from the lake over to her to gauge her reaction. I knew she more than likely hadn't heard of me. That's just how things were. I wasn't popular; not here or back home. So be it. No love lost, really, I didn't do well in the spotlight anyway.

Daisy had a thoughtful look on her face. I wish I wouldn't have admitted to my familial bonds, she had that look one gets when they're in the process of drawing conclusions. It was already done though. Plus she would've found out anyway. I was hoping to make my own impression on her first, seeing as she was the first person I'd met who hadn't already known of me from Mario, and I wanted her to base her conclusions off of that first impression rather than garner her own from what she already knew of my sibling. Oh well. It was done now.

With her light eyes still insightful she asked, "What's it like having him as a brother?"

At that I could only say, "It's alright I guess."

"He's a hero," She breathed wistfully.

I laughed a quiet dry laugh, "Yeah and I'm the dorky sidekick."

_Lay off the comics from now on. _

Daisy and I had happened to look towards each other at the same moment and her expression was one of puzzlement.

"I'm sure that's not true," came her soft reply, "You don't look at all dorky to me."

And then she was blushing again. She looked back at her lap, down and to the side. I felt a smile pulling partly because of her behavior and partly from her kind words. I didn't know if she was just being polite again or if she meant what she said. I hoped she did.

"Do you have any brothers?" I asked her, "Or sisters?" I added.

She shook her head and pushed a thick clump of wavy brown locks behind her ear, "No I'm an only child. I do have two cousins though."

"Were those the ones back in the market?" I asked knowingly.

She raised a brow, "Yeah they were. They're like brothers to me, I've helped raise them since they were little boys."

"Why's that? I mean where's their folks?" I inquired.

She sighed. "Their parents abandoned them with my family when they were very small. Then my mother left us so my dad had to take over. Just last year he died though."

_Should never have even asked, _I thought. Now I had nothing to say to such horrid news. I couldn't say I was sorry; sorry for what? I wasn't the one who'd done it. So what was I to say to that?

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." I said honestly.

She gave me a sad little smile and said, "So am I. But my dad wasn't the only one to have died in the Great War."

Those words sounded like they meant something. Not for the first time I felt like I was missing something. I studied her somber, light brown eyes for an answer.

"What is the Great War?" I had to ask.

She blinked in confusion, "You mean you don't know about it?"

I stared at her blankly and she continued.

"The Great War started about two years ago and just ended a couple of months before you came," She explained.

Something cold and chilling settled over my shoulders at her words but I made myself hold on and listen to what she had to say rather than cave at the startling implications of what she'd just relayed to me.

"This evil King Bowser, you've had to have heard of him, he drew up his forces from the Badlands and tried to take over Bean and Mushroom Kingdom." she spoke gravely.

_Nothing new there, _I thought. That seemed like a minor thing. I guess. But she wasn't finished.

In her next breath Daisy said, "Prince Mario and his armies fought against them and ultimately won. It was a nasty war with hundreds of casualties on both sides, though more were from the opposing side than ours because Prince Mario allowed for the use of illicit magical warfare."

"Isn't that forbidden?" I asked disconcertingly.

This was all news to me.

Daisy nodded her head and said, "Yes but towards the latter part of the war both sides were fighting dirty. Most of the Badlands inhabitants were wiped out and King Bowser was defeated. Some say it was a composition curse that brought him and his people down. I don't know much about curses, especially that kind, except for the fact that they're irreversible and sometimes fatal."

By the end of her narrative I was fighting back the makings of rage and like emotions. From the grim look on the young woman's face I could see she was telling the truth so why, how could this be so? How could this have happened? I felt like I would be sick to my stomach from the sheer amount of betrayal roiling around inside me. I stood abruptly and ran a hand through my hair. It was a trait Mario exhibited when he was frustrated and me, well I did it when I was frustrated or pissed. At the moment I didn't know which applied more. Here I was, playing the fool in trying to put my life aside for his happiness. Granted, my life wasn't much of one but it was still a life. And to learn of this bit of news. I huffed to myself. I knew there was something funny about the place, the whole city looked like it had all the vitality sucked out of it and the people were no better. I had my suspicions that something had occurred while I was gone due to the odd behavior of the new couple and others but this. This I had not expected.

A _fucking war_ was the last thing I thought could have happened while I was gone.

And my own brother hadn't thought to tell me about it? No word, no nothing. Sure he sent me a letter here and there but he had me thinking all was fine and dandy when it was impossible for that to have been so. Not if what this girl had said was true. It didn't make sense at all. Why didn't he tell me? I could've been there, fighting with him and helping out. Surely I wasn't so invaluable...I grimaced wryly. Apparently I was, if his actions were to speak for anything. Damn, this hurt. It really did. I had to confront him about this. I had to know why he would do this.

"I have to go." I remembered to say just as I was leaving the forest.

Daisy was upset, "I-I didn't offend you or anything, did I? I'm sorry if I did, I swear I didn't mean to."

And just like a bucket of icy water straight from the lake behind us had been dumped on my head I came to my senses and remembered where I was. What I had been doing. And with whom. This girl had been nothing but nice to me since she's met me and I would not repay her with ill-will. I walked back over to her and took in a deep breath as I did. I had to regain my calm.

Straining under the weight of a genteel smile I said, "No, of course not. Thank you for taking me here, it was nice. And it was nice seeing you again...Daisy." I told her quietly.

She blushed once more but didn't look away. Her hands, I noticed, were clutching the sides of her shirt tightly.

"I just need to speak with my brother about some things." I said.

Daisy blinked and nodded, "Oh. Okay." she said.

I left her then.

I broke out in a sprint and liked that it at least allowed me to let off some steam. Not enough to completely quell the indignant anger within me but it was enough to leave me winded at the castle entrance. I hurried past the guards up the wide white stairs and rushed inside the ornate wooden doors. I was just itching to lay into my brother. I was tired of holding things in. For once I would let him have it. I had barely turned the corner when I heard it. Raised voices. Apparently the princess had beat me to the punch.

I stood behind the curve of the marble staircase and caught my breath. They didn't see me and kept at it. This argument was worse than the ones before. Gone was the pretense of civility and the subtle passive aggressiveness. In its place were harsh, hissed words and scathing replies. The princess had her back to me but I could hear her voice, louder and full of reproach. Mario was wearing a mask of irritation that only infuriated me at the moment and he was rolling his eyes exasperatedly. I wanted to interfere and say my piece but the larger part of me was considerate to a fault. I decided to leave him be for right now. But tonight he owed me an explanation.

* * *

The day passed uneventfully. I was resigned to hours of fuming in that prissy pink guest room that normally didn't bother me, it was just a room, but since I was already upset every little thing was getting on my nerves. By the time evening came I had gotten a hold of myself and had worked out just what I would say and ask of Mario concerning the Great War. My calm was back. However, my calm could not have prepared me for what lay in wait in the dining room that night.

To say I was floored by the coldness in the atmosphere was an understatement. I sat to my brother's left and the princess to his right as per usual but that was where the familiarity of dining experiences of tonight and yesterday ended. Nobody said a word. We were all upset and the unease was near-palpable. I knew why I was quietly scraping the food across my plate; it was so I'd have something to do and focus on rather than look at my brother. I suddenly didn't want to be here. That was what was wrong with me. But them, I didn't know what was going one. Weren't they getting married in only what, two days now? Why were they at each other's throats? Was all this really about an argument or something more? There was a war that transpired, I bitterly noted, maybe that had something to do with the decline in their relationship. Whatever. I couldn't really bring myself to care just right then.

"How was your day in the city?" the princess spoke neutrally.

None of that sugary sweetness was in her tone. Her voice was devoid of any kindness that was not strained. I only deemed to respond to her out of obligation. Like I said, I didn't care to be here at the present time.

"Good." Was all I said.

I looked over at the princess now and was taken aback. The princess I adored suddenly was not so alluring anymore. The woman who I'd obsessed over didn't seem so beautiful and glamorous anymore. I thought she was divine, but now I wasn't so sure. And that confused me. First I didn't react to her as I thought I would yesterday and today, and now I was finding fault in her? I was. Those lips, I had thought them to be so smooth and flawless, but as she now had them pursed in tacit anger I could see the minuscule creases that the mauve lipstick didn't cover. She was perfect to me all that time ago, why had that changed?

The hand that held the fork to my plate rattled a bit along with the rest of my arm as Mario stood up abruptly, scraping his chair out loudly in doing so. I didn't know if it was deliberate or not but I got angry with him inside as if it were. He gathered his decorated blue coat and swiped a napkin over his lips before tossing the cloth atop his mostly full plate of food.

"I got some work to do." He said in explanation for his departure.

The princess softly said, "You've hardly eaten."

"Yeah, well. Didn't have much of an appetite tonight." Mario called curtly over his shoulder.

I saw the princess try her hardest to sweep the frozen look of disapproval from her features. It took her a while but she did manage. Like Mario, I only ate a little. I didn't have much of an appetite either. I hated to say it but that dingy apartment was looking better by the second. No, I wasn't leaving, I made a commitment to myself when I boarded that train that I'd see this event through and support the budding couple. That didn't mean I wasn't counting the days until I was free of them. Between Mario infuriating me and the princess confusing me with my changing perception of her, I was tiring of their company.

I stood.

"Goodnight. Princess." I said stiffly.

She only nodded absently over at me in response. I pushed my chair in and on the way up the stairs I pushed in Mario's, too. The princess was where I left her just sitting and staring at her own plate of food unseeingly. That night I climbed into bed and drifted off with the aid of one of my comics. I had to admit, I did find myself putting people I knew in place of the hero, heroine, and sidekick positions. Now though, the roles weren't so clear anymore; maybe my brother wasn't such the hero as everyone thought.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry about the wait, I got sick for three days and was on vacation the prior week. I'll keep going with the chapters if this is for sure what you all want. I'm doing this for you guys so please review and let me know what you think! **

**Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	4. Chapter 4

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its characters/themes/settings. **

* * *

**Chapter Four**

* * *

It was mid-morning before I woke. I had never recalled sleeping so well and so soundly before in a long time. Maybe my brother should piss me off more often.

I didn't want to but I pushed the warm white sheets aside and sat up straight. It was later than I thought, more like noon or so. The sun was streaking over the stone floor through those pastel pink drapes. A lot of the anger I'd gone to bed with had been absolved upon my waking, I found. I was still hurt by what had been revealed to me but I was not nearly so volatile towards my brother in thought as I was last night. It was a feat in itself I'd managed to get to sleep last night with that amount of potent emotion festering inside me. I rose from the bed and stretched and yawned my way over to the bathroom where I washed my face with a face towel and began to brush my teeth. Out of habit I searched for my pills to take upon finishing only to remember I didn't have them. They were in my bag I'd left on the train. Hm. Well let's see how I make it without them. I might find my dependence on them to be waning. I mean, I did okay last night, and last night I was feeling quite low. I remembered the girl then, Daisy, and smiled a little. I did mean what I said to her, I had enjoyed her company. It wasn't an awkward experience like I'd thought it would be.

Instinctively I crossed the room and started to make up the bed. Then I remembered I was a guest here, and didn't have to. I made it up anyway. That's when I noticed there was a tray on the little nightstand by the head of the bed; how had that missed my cursory perusal? The only logical explanation that came to mind was that my brain must have been more sleep-addled than I thought. I lifted the rounded lid off of the tray and nearly swooned at the various scents that thus invaded my olfactory organ; it was breakfast. Grand and hot, with cut sausage and luscious fruit and smooth, buttery bread just waiting for me. I might have been overreacting but in all honesty it was rare that I'd ever get a meal this supreme. Only after I'd cleared the platter and was downing the chilled juice I'd been provided did it occur to me what had just happened. I had taken breakfast in bed. Why was that? Was it because I'd overslept and the royal couple saw it fit to have my tray delivered to me? Or was it because the royal couple themselves had not seen to it to organize a formal dining experience this morning? Were things really progressing to that point between them? I hoped not. If they aren't taking meals together, that had to be a bad omen of later problems to come. And with the wedding only a couple of days away, I should've hoped they'd made up by now. But it seemed things were only getting worse. It was hardly my place to say anything, so I wouldn't.

I had to say, though, this was hardly the way I pictured this trip going. I figured I'd be holed up in some room or the other in the castle, much like I was now, for the duration of the week's stay, reading and enduring the simpering sentimentality of the lovesick couple before toughing through some chummy wedding and having to say my piece. Of course, with my dumb luck, I'd mess up and everyone would have a good laugh at my expense leaving me to spend the rest of the event invisibly until it was time for me to board the train back to Brooklyn and get on with my former nonexistence. I could see now that I had been wrong. Since I've been here he and she have been acting like they can't stand each other. Maybe they weren't acting. I wonder if the war had something to do with that distance or if they just got sick of each other after two and a half years. I didn't know what to make of this. I suppose I'd just watch the whole thing play out to its own end.

With that settled, I decided to get dressed. I walked to the closet and dug through my bags to find something to wear. I had even less of a choice than yesterday. I ended up wearing some more jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. In front of the bathroom mirror I combed my thick black hair and then shoved on my black trainers. I then headed downstairs wondering what I'd do with the day. When I touched down on the last stair I heard a sort of commotion. That was odd. I frowned and followed the noise. It led me down corridors and around corners until I found its source: the ballroom.

There was half the city gathered in there, which attributed to the noise. They citizens were all bearing various gifts and were relatively ordered in lines leading to a head table where the princess herself was situated. She was the one receiving the gifts and handing them off to the small toad servants, who in turn sorted out each item neatly on the long white tables behind her. A soft smile was in place as she greeted and thanked each and every person and creature who approached her. She seemed to exude genuine happiness around her people, what with the fine curve her lips frequently found themselves pulling back into. I was not fooled, however. Something was off with her. Those arguments had probably gotten to her.

I turned my attention from her to the rest of the room. It was as wide as it was tall; I'd never seen such a vast space contained indoors. It certainly hadn't looked like it was this big from the outside. And it had not only its largeness but its beauty to boast. The entire place was decorated for some grand occasion. There were tiered crystal chandeliers high above me, hanging from the ceiling in rows, that could surely light up the whole castle. Interwoven in the gaps between the light-bearers at the ceiling and looping along each wall were three different colored silken streamers; pink, gold, and bright white they were, giving the room even more of an elegantly festive atmosphere. The tables were dispersed along the perimeter of the room and, like the chairs, were covered in crisp satin cloth. Each chair had a fat red ribbon to hold the cloth in place, and each table bore a flowery centerpiece. At my feet the marble floor had been scrubbed spotless. Again I glanced at the princess: from the sheer amount of gifts flowing in I'd say these people thought quite highly of their prince and princess. I supposed I did share in their sentiments, to a degree.

Once more I looked at the princess. I didn't know what I was looking for, only hoping privately that I'd know upon finding it. Perhaps my answer lay in her beaming face, somewhere around those sapphire eyes or that pretty mouth. Or was it somewhere else? What was I looking for? Maybe it was a reaction I sought. Surely that was it. I hadn't reacted properly to her, not in the way I thought I was supposed to. Wasn't this the woman of my literal dreams, to quote myself? Didn't my heart bleed for her? Apparently not. So it was with disappointment, in myself or her I couldn't say, that I tore my eyes from her. She was dressed stunningly in an immaculate gold trim white dress today. Her gloves were in place, not a strand of honeyed hair was out of place where it was held up in a chignon bun, her make-up was flawless. But there was no kindling within me in regards to her presence or appearance. Why?

"Luigi!"

My head snapped of its own accord over to the crowd of hundreds in search of who had called me. Almost immediately I saw her, the girl, Daisy. She was standing in line very close to the front with her hands full. It was a basket she carried though I could not see its contents from my place at the arching entrance of the ballroom. With a huge smile Daisy worked one of her hands free to wave me over, then hurriedly struggled to regain her hold on the big basket. I strode over to her and took the burden from her. It was the thing to do. She looked at me in surprise, gratitude, and blushed.

"Thank you." She breathed.

I nodded. Now that the thing was in my arms, I could see that it was an assortment of fresh flowers and ripe fruit contained in the woven basket. Interesting.

"These are nice," I observed.

Daisy stepped forward in line and said, "They're from the shop."

I assumed she meant the one she worked at in the marketplace. This was quite a humble gift. I knew for a fact that the princess was a sucker for flowers, so it was ideal as well. I turned to the girl and saw her eyes dart away quickly. It was like I'd caught her staring or something. A sort of smile quirked at my mouth.

"Do you run that place by yourself?" I asked her.

She blinked. When she realized what I was referring to she said, "Oh. Yes, mostly. My cousins help me, I left them in charge for the moment."

"Are you coming to the party tonight?" I asked her.

"Y-yes." she said shyly.

She was a shy thing, yet. Her eyes, when they weren't on me inconspicuously, were trained on her feet. At the present moment she wore those same brown boots I'd seen her in for the last two days. They certainly were more ragged now that I had a closer look at them. I wondered if she wore them so often because they were her only pair, or one of few she owned. I would know, judging by my own scuffed black trainers. I looked up from where her boots were poking out from under her skirt and appraised the garment. It looked heavy and velveteen and was a deep brown color. The short blouse she wore fit her more exactly than the one from yesterday, though it was plain white and long sleeved as well. Her hair was long, stopping only a just below her shoulders in broad, dark brown waves. She was studying her feet once more with those large light eyes of hers. I chose to look away lest I be caught doing what she'd been doing only moments ago.

When it came time for me to hand over the gift I was struck with the idea that this woman taking the basket from my hands was to be my sister-in-law in only a few days, and if that didn't just chase away the already fleeing emotions I'd harbored for her. Even at this close proximity the dormant anxiety refused to rear its head. I regarded the princess with a congenial smile. She gave me one in return.

"Hello Luigi." She greeted, "Is this a friend of yours?"

I looked to Daisy and nodded. "Yes, this is Daisy."

She seemed curious as she accepted the girl's courteous bow. She whispered to me quickly so that Daisy couldn't hear; she wanted to know if this was the young woman I'd spoken of before. I let her know with a nod that she was. This pleased the royal. When Daisy stepped out of line, she was fidgeting with her fingers.

"I have to get back to the shop," she explained, "I'll see you tonight?"

I nodded, "Yeah, see you tonight."

Then I watched her leave. She was much more confident in her gait now that she was away from me. I could understand her being shy, though. I got a little nervous around her, too. I was constantly afraid I'd say or do something stupid and embarrass myself.

"She seems sweet," The princess observed.

I turned at the sound of her voice. "Yeah. Hey have you seen Mario around?"

The latter inquiry was voiced casually, though it had been on the tip of my tongue since I first caught sight of the princess here this afternoon. Like a cloth had been taken to her slate of a face the gentle smile she'd been wearing vanished. The royal stared at me blankly for a second before forcing on a stiffly pleasant expression.

"He should be in the war room." She answered.

_He should be here_, was the distinct impression I got from her unspoken aura of displeasure.

It was true, Mario should've been in the ballroom collecting gifts and helping out. The only help the princess had as of now were the many toad servants running about. I frowned a bit at that. I had half a mind to stay and give her a hand, but I really wanted to talk to my brother. So I thanked her and took off. Only I had no clue where I was going or where the war room was. I let my feet and intuition guide me then, and soon I came upon it. The princess was right, my brother was there with his back to me. I stood at the door and inhaled deeply through my nose to calm myself before stepping into the room.

The floor was stone and so were the walls. There was a long wooden table spread horizontally in front of me and it looked to be able to seat about ten to twelve persons. The back wall opposite the door was hidden behind a long, tall bookshelf stacked with tomes. That was where Mario was, on the other side of the table with his hands clasped behind his back and his head level with a dusty old volume on the shelf third from the top of the case. I felt my calm slipping as the feelings of hurt and betrayal reiterated themselves inside me.

"Hey." Mario greeted while glancing at me over his shoulder.

I stared at him standing there in his fine blue and red uniform and could only reply flatly, "Hey."

"Need something?" He asked without looking at me.

I ran a hand through my hair and took a seat in one of the high-backed wooden chairs. "Yeah. Actually. I do."

"Something on your mind?" He then asked.

I decided to just get it out there. "Why didn't you tell me Mario?" I asked in accusation.

He turned on his heels and prompted somberly, "Tell you what?"

Blinking hard, I fought for my calm. "About the Great War." I stated evenly.

He only said, "Oh. That."

My heart pumped faster in accordance with my rising temper. That's all he had to say for himself? I again fought for my calm. I couldn't speak until I was sure I had that anger under control.

"Why didn't you tell me there was a war going on, Mario?" I frowned, "Why did you pretend everything was okay and leave me in the dark?"

Mario just stood there. Then after a pause, he sighed and rubbed his face with both hands. He was giving the impression, with his tired sigh and weary gesture, that he was in no wrong and that I had come to him with some insignificant matter that he was being forced to tolerate and entertain, if only to humor me. Didn't he see the great betrayal he'd enacted with his acts of deception over the last two years?

"Look," he began in an exasperated tone, "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to get involved. So many people were dying and I didn't want my brother to be one of them."

"So you lied to me," I stated coldly.

Mario frowned, "I did what I did in _your _best interest, Luigi. I was only looking out for you."

"Really?" I challenged.

He threw up his hands and sighed, "What do you want me to do, apologize for saving your life? 'Cause that's what I did by leaving you out of that mess."

"I'm a grown man, Mario." I told him stiffly, "The choice to stay out of _that mess _should've been left up to me. You can't go deciding things for me anymore, I'm not a child."

Mario folded his arms barked out a dry chuckle, "You're only twenty-two."

I couldn't believe he'd just said that. "Mario, I'm twenty-six."

He gave me a look that seemed to say, _close enough_. "Luigi, you're my brother. The only family I've got. You mean the world to me and I wasn't gonna' lose you to that damned war."

I was silent. _I mean the world to you, big brother, but you can't even remember how old I am? When my birthday is? I mean the world to you and yet you left me out like I was some stranger? _The fact that he was still standing from the war spoke volumes since I was always the more resourceful of the two of us when it came to combat tactics and techniques. If he could survive this Great War, I'm almost certain I could have. Let's just be honest. I might have been younger but I was just as skilled as him. He should know from all the times we fought enemies together in the past.

"Listen, Luigi, what's done is done." Mario insisted, "So why don't we just let this whole matter alone?"

I didn't want that. I wanted to delve further, I wanted to understand exactly why he did what he did in leaving me out. I wasn't buying his excuse of loving me too much to see me die. He knew I was capable and although he did care about me, his affection was negligent more often than not. I wanted the truth from him and I sensed it had something to do with his declining relationship with the princess. Well that was more of a hunch of a conjecture but still. I had a feeling there was a lot he wasn't telling me.

"Fine." I said resignedly.

I was capitulating merely to appease my brother. I would be the first to admit I was flawed in my willingness to put others and their desires above my own. It went far beyond the call of politeness, it was something embedded within my character. I hated it at the moment but there was no working against it. I let the matter go. For now. I would get my answers, I avowed, I'd get them before I left this place. But for now I would leave him be.

Mario smiled weakly and said, "Good. I knew you'd come around."

_Whatever_, I thought to myself. I stood fluidly from the wooden chair and strode out of the war room. I was frustrated with him and his secrecy. Why did he think it was right for him to hide things from me after all we'd been through? The answer didn't come to me, not even when I'd reached the guest room upstairs and had flopped back onto the white comforter of the bed. I stared up at the plain ceiling as I lay on my back and kicked off my trainers. With my shoes off I turned onto my side and gathered the comforter from under me to cover my body. It was getting chilly as the morning progressed.

I missed the days where Mario and I hid nothing from each other, where we went on missions together and traveled through mighty adventures, the two of us. There seemed to be no end to towns in want of saving or items to be retrieved or a certain princess in dire need of rescuing. Speaking of that, I wondered idly what became of old Bowser. Daisy told me he had been defeated. Did that mean he was dead? No, she would have said so. Perhaps I should ask Mario. No, I'll be damned if I go to him with any of my questions. If he wanted to be so secretive than I would allow it, I wouldn't bother him. If he wanted to push me away than he had done a very good job.

Over-killed it, if you asked me.

* * *

I must have been tireder than I thought because when I woke up it was dark in the room. I could make out a little bit of light coming in from the window from the outside, the white light of the moon and the stars. In addition to the darkness, the temperature had dropped. _How long was I out, _I wondered. Had to be for some hours by the looks of things. My stomach was feeling the effects of my long slumber because I was absolutely famished. I stretched and tried to decide if I was ready to get up just yet. I was still kind of tired. But I was so hungry. It would help if I knew what was on the menu for tonight.

Tonight!

With a jolt I jerked to a sitting position and remembered the party was tonight. In fact, it was probably in full swing by now. I moved my hands quickly over the bed to re-spread the sheets neatly and then hurried to the bathroom. I had to douse my face with cold water to really get myself up but the shock of remembering the party had done its part to rejuvenate me as well. From the bathroom I was about to go to the closet and get something decent to wear but that little couch against the wall in between the two areas had something on it. It was a dark bundle of clothes and a white piece of paper. The blots of ink were in nearly-illegible chicken scratch, my brother's famous hand.

_Little brother, _the note read, and I rolled my eyes.

_I'm sorry for what happened earlier. I wish things hadn't worked out the way they had, _he claimed.

I had a hard time believing those words to be true. How long would my brother have kept me uninformed of the Great War? His behavior certainly hadn't given off any indication that it would've been any short while. If Daisy hadn't have told me, I probably would have boarded the train for Brooklyn none the wiser of his duplicity.

_The clothes are for you. I think you'll like them. _

How would he know what I like, he hasn't bothered to ask me what I liked in who knows how long. He really didn't know me very well seeing as the person he abandoned two and a half years ago and the person I had become in the meantime weren't one and the same. I sighed. Maybe I shouldn't be so critical of him though. He is my only brother and all the family I've got left. But if that's the case why was he pushing me away? I shook my head. I think too much. It wasn't at all healthy for me.

I set the note back on the embroidered couch and turned back to the bathroom. The shower I took was rushed and it was in a hurry that I put on the clothes. I didn't even stop to look at them properly before tugging them on. I was surprised to see a pair of flat black boots tucked underneath the couch for me. Those were nice. They fit over my feet comfortably and the supple leather exterior had a nice albeit dull sheen to them. Or maybe it was just too dark to see it right. I walked in the light after having fully dressed and stared at myself in the bathroom mirror.

The clothes fit me well and weren't bad looking. Just a pair of black pants, a forest green dress shirt and a black cloak. The cloak was heavy and black on the outside but its underside was satin and the same color green as the linen shirt I wore. It was a nice thing for my brother to have given me. In the mirror I combed my thick hair down on either side of my face and saw that it was still long and black and as wavy as ever. It made my face seem paler but not in a sickly sort of way. I undid the top two buttons of my dress shirt, adjusted the collar, and pushed up the sleeves to my elbows. I took the cloak and draped it over my shoulders. I believe I was ready so I left the room. It was with my hands shoved in their safe place down in my pockets that I descended the staircase with that cool mask in place. I was nervous as I entered the ballroom, there were even more people in there and it was so loud. Music was playing, soft instruments but loud acoustics in the grand room. Coupled with the noise of countless conversations, it was hard to even hear myself think. I felt claustrophobic.

_Just breathe. In, out, in, out. _

I wish I had my pills. They numbed me well and I craved that numbness now. I was never too particular on crowds so it was no surprise I was getting worked up. I breathed deeply some more and focused on remaining calm. My palms were hopelessly clammy and my heart was beating too hard and too fast.

_Just calm down, relax. It's just a party. _

I found this easier to do as I ghosted through the multitudes of people seemingly unseen. Some people spoke to me, infrequently of course, but I did well to act cordially towards them. They spoke of Mario this and Mario that. It couldn't be helped. This was his party, after all. He was the one getting married. I wasn't looking to socialize anyway, I was looking for the food. It was cleverly eluding me, much to my stomach's and my own consternation. In my relentless search, I was halted by the sound of a vaguely familiar voice. It was a smooth, cultured voice I knew I must have known from somewhere. I turned round and faced the young man who had called out to me. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Olive skinned and as tall as I he was, with golden blonde hair that skirted over his shoulders and slanted dark eyes. His features were alight with mirth and his nose as thin and straight as his royal lineage called for. He had his lips curved in a faint smirk and his eyes glittered; this was his ever constant expression, as if he were always privy to some rich joke that no one else knew of but he. He was so unchanged despite the years and yet at the same time so very different: last time I saw him his skin was a startling pea-green and he was significantly shorter. Still, I knew it was him.

I had no problem striding over to where he stood alone, garbed in his usual ostentatious style of dress which consisted of something similar to a three-piece suit. His outer robes were dark navy as was his inner coat and pants. His clothes fit him so exceptionally well it gave the impression that they were sewn for none other than he alone. There was a silver chain dangling from his pocket that clipped onto his waistband; a wallet, perhaps. He wore fine navy shoes that had a loud glare from the light of the chandeliers reflecting off of them. He used one hand to flip his hair over his shoulder and the nostalgia that swept over me at the sight of that old action was nearly overwhelming.

"Luigi," He greeted.

I couldn't help but smirk wryly back at him. It was difficult to say just what kind of relationship we shared. We were friends, yes, but we didn't match up so predictably as friends often did. Where he was more outgoing in his charm and wit and overall personality, I was more reserved though I possessed some of the same attributes as he did. Consequently, we understood each other somewhat. We got along. At least we did a long time ago. By the way he was looking at me, I'd say the flashy royal and I would be getting on just like we had some odd years ago.

When I reached him I bowed low at the waist. It was an old joke for us. He rolled his eyes and feigned reproach.

"You know you don't have to do that." he said.

I shrugged, "You look different, Peasley."

"No mention of my title?" he said with mock surprise, "What with your carrying on, I thought you might have mentioned it."

"Fine. You look different, _Prince _Peasley." I rephrased with a non-committal smile.

Bean Kingdom's heir let the smirk broaden upon his face as he boasted, "Yes, I've gone through some changes as of late but as you can see, I've managed to retain my fabulous good looks that outshines one and all."

I couldn't say he was wrong. If possible, with his new height and lean build and peculiar, golden coloring, he had grown even more stunning. I always knew him to be vain, but it wasn't without valid reason. He had the looks to back it up, even now.

"Shame I am inevitably upstaging the prince of the hour," Peasley continued pompously, "But it cannot be helped. Beauty chooses its master, you know."

Whatever nonsensical rubbish he was spouting was of no interest to me. I didn't want to play around with him like we used to, I mean it was nice to see an old friend, but I needed answers to fill in those gaps in my mind from what happened here in the last two years. I knew Peasley's new appearance had something to do with the war, or rather vice versa.

"Peasley, were you hit by a composition curse?" I asked him after rolling my eyes at something he'd said.

The color drained from his tanned face and his dark eyes shone with panic before he gripped me by the arm and dragged me away. He didn't stop rushing off until we were shrouded from view on all sides but one by the darkness of a corridor. I could see the people carrying on merrily to my left, where the ballroom entrance was. I regarded Peasley warily.

"What was that about?" I asked.

He abruptly put a finger to my lips and shook his head. He looked over to where a curious group of young women were clustered, shooting glances our way.

"You must keep you voice down, my friend," Peasley whispered. "It's not good to speak too loudly of dark magic."

I rose a brow, "Dark magic? Is that what that falls under?"

He nodded, "And to answer your question, I was indeed hit by one of those curses. A particularly lethal wave struck down most everyone in the palace."

I knew he meant his own palace. He had left his japing behind in the ballroom and was as solemn as I rarely remembered him being when we were a little younger and used to exchange our deepest fears and secrets. I couldn't believe I'd forgotten about him. We were on a road to becoming quite close before I left this world. I wondered how he felt about my leaving; did he feel abandoned like I did when Mario chose to stay here and leave me to Brooklyn?

"Who sent the curse?" I asked him, "What was it like when you say a lethal wave?"

Peasley leaned closer to me and spoke rapidly, "It was a nightmare, Luigi. It was torture to endure that curse. When I say it was a wave I meant that it was palpable in the air within the palace. Everyone could smell it, taste its foulness but it was imperceptible to the naked eye. Once it was ingested, it worked its horrors within you til you succumbed to unconsciousness from the pain of having your nerves lit afire."

He shuddered and ran a shaky hand through his hair, "The pain was unreal, but once I woke up, I was fine. The pain was gone, and in its place was a debilitating sickness. The nausea I could take in the pain's stead, however, and it only lasted some two odd weeks or so. After that, I could see that I had changed. My body was no longer its own, and I had this one in its place."

I mulled over what he said. It seemed like this curse was administered in the same way helicopter's would drop down pesticides over huge tracts of land. Once it got in the air, it probably lingered and that was how Peasley and others ingested it. It sounded horrible. That was true fear and pain in my friend's eyes, he wasn't lying about the torturous symptoms of that I could easily see. It didn't quite add up though. Who had administered this curse and to what end? What good was it to change the composition of one's adversaries?

"Who sent this curse?" I asked once more.

Peasley stepped closer yet to me and blinked, "I don't know. Both sides were firing off things they ought not to. It could have been something Bowser and his cohorts brewed up, or it could have very likely been created by your brother's forces. He did have a number of magicians working under him and it was hard to keep track of where curses ended up once they were sent off."

I shivered at his words. "Mario dealt with dark magic?"

"Of that I am sure." Peasley confirmed, "It was a war we were in, people tended to disregard previous prohibitions so long as a certain end justified the means."

That was news, shocking news. I didn't know what to make of this; my brother fiddling with dark magic? Daisy's words came back to me. She said that many people died and that both sides were fighting dirty. What all had my brother been a part of? Is that why he wanted me to stay away? Because he didn't want me to know the less than pure tactics he was resorting to? It was a thought. I looked at Peasley.

"I take it the Composition Curse wasn't the only one used?" I spoke lowly.

He shook his head gravely, "Not by a long shot. There were too many of them for me to recall. Some were meant to destroy crops, tear down cities. Lots of them were simply created to kill."

Something cold and wet settled in the pit of my stomach. Had Mario had a hand in those as well? I didn't have the gall to ask, I didn't want to know the answer. Peasley was looking a great deal more pale and it wasn't just because of the poor lighting in the dark corridor. I suddenly thought of something.

"What of your parents, Peasley?" I whispered, "Where are they?"

"Dead." He stated without feeling.

I bowed my head in silence. I had nothing to say; what was there to say to that?

He morosely continued. "They perished under a wave of some killing curse that had coincidentally set in around the same time as the Composition Curse. Most everyone in the palace is gone. Killed. I was lucky it was the Composition Curse to have hit me and not the other, for if it had been the other, I would be a heavenly body today. Or a hellish one, I suppose."

He was trying to make light of a painful topic and for that I admired him. It wasn't easy to lose your parents, I would know. I touched his shoulder because he liked that sort of thing. Touch comforted him. He looked up at me with a wetness to his dark eyes and smiled weakly. He put his own, cold hand on top of mine and squeezed. I felt his pain. This was a heavy subject and it only opened the door to many more questions. I wondered if I would find the answers to at least half of the lot of them.

"Peasley, do you know what happened to Bowser?" I asked.

"I'm not sure what happened to the Dark King," Peasley murmured, "But I know he did not die."

His voice was waspish and almost inaudible. He breathed in deeply and I told myself that was the last thing I'd ask of him. I wanted information, yes, and this sort was just too intriguing to let alone. There was so much mystery surrounding the Great War and its repercussions and I was eager to learn all about it. But not if it caused Peasley such grief and unease.

"Are you alright?" I asked him carefully.

He blinked rapidly, probably to hold tears at bay, and nodded. He began fixing at himself and his suit, smoothing over the folds of his outer robe and straightening his hair. I waited for him to speak. He leveled me with a mild smile and did so.

"So it's true then, you really were in that other world while the Great War raged?" He said quietly.

I stiffened, "Peasley if I had known what was going on I swear I would've been here-"

He put a stop to me by shaking his head, "I know. I know _you_. I'm just glad for your absence during all that. I don't know if I could take it if I'd lost you, too. You're the last real person I know."

I knew what he meant by that, he didn't even have to explain. He usually said that in reference to the court. They were always around him back then and they were a shallow lot. They held too much value in aesthetics and pretenses instead of character and personality. In fact, the members of his court changed their personality quite often to suit whomever was in power or could grant them status. They were what Peasley deemed, 'fake'. I was real. There were other 'real' people, but they were dead now according to him.

"Shall we get back then?" He murmured.

Already he was wiping the traces of our brief talk from his features and was regaining his aloofly pleasant countenance. I watched him work a steady lilt onto his mouth and saw the light sliver back inside his eyes. I was still kind of worried about him.

"You sure you don't need a minute?" I asked.

He shrugged, "I've dealt with this for months. I'll be fine."

I believed him. Suddenly, he reached forward and touched the side of my face. His gaze was heartfelt.

"It _is _so good to see you again, Luigi. Do stay in touch this time?" He entreated.

I nodded, "Yeah."

I had almost forgot that there was a group of young women watching us. Who knew what thoughts were running through their heads at the moment. How much of Peasley's odd affection had they witnessed? I hoped they didn't jump to conclusions like the people did years ago. When I first met him and experienced the cavalier way with which he touched and wished to be touched by those he deemed close to him, I was startled. And when he'd given me a rose, of all things, on one of Mario and my excursions to his kingdom I was utterly confounded. Honestly I thought he was gay: either that or bi. But it turns out I was wrong, I found out that he's just a very touch-oriented person, among other things. The problem then, as it was turning out to be now, was that people would see Peasley and I together and get the wrong idea. I could hardly blame them. What would I think were I to see two young men in deep conversation with more than a few questionable gestures passing back and forth? It didn't help that Peasley's olive-skinned face was just a hairsbreadth away from my own upon his insistence of keeping our voices down. They were giggling like little girls so whatever they were whispering, it wasn't good.

"What do you suppose they're on about?" Peasley wanted to know.

I gave him a dry look but didn't let on what I thought. He and I composed ourselves at last and headed back into the ballroom. We hadn't gotten very far before the loud clacking of heels sounded off ahead of us. I stopped so Peasley did as well. The prince's face descended into a glower as a woman made herself known.

"There you are, Peasley, I was looking all over for you!" She exclaimed, "Where did you run off to?"

Peasley glared at her openly, "It is none of your concern."

I was confused. Why was he being so short with her? The woman was beautiful, for one. Granted, her beauty was of the frigid variety but still. Her sleek black hair was cut in a short stylish bob and her clear green eyes were slanted like his. Like the marble underfoot was her smooth looking skin and she had a curvy, slender build. If Peasley disliked this gorgeous woman, she must have a foul personality or some sort of flaw of that nature. I knew my friend and I knew that often times there was more to people than what meets the eye.

The woman saw me then and smiled. Her thin crimson lips spread over her teeth in a disconcerting sort of way. She leveled me with a knowing look.

"Oh I see." She said scandalously. "Well won't you introduce me to your little friend?"

Peasley looked at her boredly and said, "I don't believe I feel inclined to."

The way she spoke to him was strange. Peasley was twenty-five years old if I remembered correctly, by no means a child, and she looked to be our age or even younger. Yet she talked to him as if she were way older, and her use of the word little gave insight towards her view of me. Or maybe I was over-thinking things again and she was just teasing him. Either way, Peasley looked to be thoroughly annoyed with her.

The woman looked put-out and pouted her lips in a way that reminded me of Tanya. She rolled her eyes at him and stuck out one of her hands to me. It was glove-less, bare just like the rest of her body that wasn't covered in the small parameter of shimmery royal blue cloth that spanned from the middle of her thighs to the very tops of her breasts. There was an expensive diamond necklace beneath her chin that sparkled just like the gold ring on her finger. The finger of the very same hand she'd offered to me.

"Princess Kate Clact," She said as I took her hand in mine, "You must be Luigi."

I nodded and noticed that her name was an odd one. Clact? I'd never heard of it before, or of her come to think of it. But something told me it would be rude of me just to blurt out, 'who are you?' to her face. There had to be a more tactful way to find out who she was. Oh yes, perhaps if Peasley had taken the courtesy of introducing her to me I'd know. But he was the type that couldn't be moved to do anything he wasn't inclined to, as he stated a moment ago.

"You're no princess." Peasley interjected objectively.

Kate narrowed her eyes at that and edged closer to the prince. I was surprised to see he allowed her to take his arm into her own and place it around her shoulder. Peasley held it there but did so with a less than pleased look on his face.

"No, not yet." She responded, "But I will be soon. You see Luigi, Prince Peasley and I are engaged to be married. We have been for quite a few months now."

She said the last part pointedly. She was obviously dropping him some kind of hint but his face was impassive. I tried to get him to let me know through expression what was going on. What was the meaning of this? Peasley hadn't told me he was engaged. Well we were only speaking of the war. And by the way he was behaving, he didn't look like this was something he favored. Maybe he was caught in an arranged marriage? I pondered the implications as the couple walked off. I was relieved to see some emotion in my blonde friend; as he was dragged away, he looked over his shoulder and gave me a wink and a smirk.

* * *

It took me a little more wandering around and a few more forced pleasantries with people I hardly knew before I found the area where the food was. Talking with Peasley had momentarily distracted me from my hunger but now I was feeling faint with it. I needed to eat immediately. I crossed the ballroom after seeing and smelling the food and piled a plate high with some of each item. I even stopped to get a piece of cake. I knew that the princess had made it herself. She always did. With my plate of food and saucer with cake in hand, I searched for some place to sit. If I didn't find a vacant table soon I would cut my losses and hole up in a corner if only to sate the primal beast that was my unfed stomach. Luckily, I saw an empty spot to my left and hurried over to it. Only after I set my things down carefully on the white tablecloth did I realize my mistake. This circular table wasn't vacant, it was occupied by a single person. A little person. He was so small it was no wonder I had thought the spot was free.

The boy could almost pass for a little girl with his long, hanging red tangled hair and large green eyes. His hair was a startling shade of red, not copper or burgundy but pure, fiery red. He was sitting across from me with his hands gripping either side of his chair for balance as he swung his legs back in forth in front of him. He couldn't have been more than five years old. He was a skinny child dressed in black silk harem pants, the kind that had a tight, wide waistband, loose pants-legs, and cinched in at the ankles. His feet were remarkably bare. He wore a black open-chested vest with cap sleeves and had gold bands on both his wrists. He was studying me openly with his large wondering eyes and tilted head. I ignored him and ate.

When I'd cleaned my plate I realized it wasn't me the child was studying but the pale pink frosted cake I was about to devour next. I felt bad for that. He obviously wanted some. I wondered then how long the boy had been sitting alone at this table and if he had even eaten anything. I slid my saucer of cake over to him with a smile.

"Do you want this?" I asked.

He looked at it longingly but pushed the plate away. "I can't have it."

I frowned, "What do you mean?"

He was sad and had the voice to match, "My daddy says I can't have any cake."

"Oh." I said. "That's too bad."

I took the saucer back and put it out of his view. I didn't feel right eating it in front of him so I wouldn't eat it at all. I was satisfied with my meal anyway, and wasn't big on sweets. I only got the cake to humor the princess. I leaned back in my chair and looked at the boy. He seemed familiar to me all of a sudden.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

He perked and said, "My daddy calls me Junior, so you can call me that, too."

Junior? Didn't he have a first name? If I got to know what his first name it might clue me in as to who he was. The boy was asking me a question, though. I think he wanted to know my name. I told him but he had trouble pronouncing it. I could see why, of his small teeth he was missing one in the top left corner.

"Just call me Lu." I told him.

He smiled, "Okay. Lu."

Junior rocked back in his seat and I looked from him to the people. There were so many people. It was a pastime of mine when I wasn't too put off by the size of the crowds to people watch. However, the child started talking again and broke my concentration.

"You look like Mario." he observed.

I smirked wryly, "That's because he's my brother."

Junior pursed his lips and breathed in before saying, "Mario is bad, bad, bad you know."

I quirked a brow. Now there's something I hadn't heard. "Who told you that?" I wanted to know.

He solemnly replied, "My daddy. He told me."

I sighed. I knew this kid's type. Hero worship was common in children and this boy was no exception. I had had enough of hearing about his daddy and decided I'd go get some punch. As I moved away from the table, Junior followed me. I didn't shoo him away because it wasn't like he was bothering me. If anything, he was probably lonely. With him in tow I stepped up to the small square table that held an enormous ice statue of a power star. The five-pointed translucent star had its characteristic oblong eyes staring out at me as it rested in the middle of a giant glass bowl of bright red punch. The ladle was resting on the side of the bowl and I used it to scoop me out a generous helping of the cool liquid. It was good.

I turned and lowered the paper cup from my mouth and looked at the boy. Junior was so familiar, I just couldn't put my finger on where I'd seen or heard of him before. Maybe he was some kind of prince? His clothes were nice and those gold bands on his arms looked to be real. That would make sense. But if he was a prince, of what land was he from? His long red hair and golden-flecked green eyes were exotic, so nowhere close by. And his skin was so clear and bronze, but then most little children did have that unblemished type of complexion. This was giving me no clues.

"Do you want something to drink?" I asked him.

I decided I'd just wait until his famed daddy came to collect him and ask the adult where they were from. I supposed I could have asked Junior, but the moment I asked him about the punch his face lit up and he was nodding and very excited about that. He wouldn't want to talk about his father with the punch on his mind.

"Here, let me get you some," I offered.

I took a white cup from the stack and was about to reach for the handle of the ladle when I caught sight of the boy's vest, the back of it. Junior had turned round and was searching the crowds, probably for his daddy, which allowed me to see the crimson crest embroidered atop the black cloth. I knew then who he was, who he had to be, because I knew that crest. The many times I'd encountered it with Mario came to mind; I could never forget it.

It was the Dark King's crest.

Consequently, this must be his son. Little Bowser Jr. Or Junior, as he told me to call him. How different he looked now. The last time I saw him he was with his father, like always. They were so much alike in that his dad was a veritable turtle on steroids and he was Bowser's deformed little spawn. I hadn't known what to think when they challenged me and Mario for the first time, breathing fire and garbling insults. But now the creature that was Bowser's most faithful tiny cohort had taken on the visage of a slightly-built, large-eyed little child. I always knew that Bowser Jr was a child in all respects, but now the evidence of that was looking up at me innocently.

They must have been hit with the Composition Curse as well, that was all I could think of to explain this disconcerting change. But if Bowser Jr was here, then that meant his father was here, too. Dear lord, who invited him? Oh yes. The congenial princess, ever the diplomat even with her enemies it would seem. I was not looking forward to seeing the Dark King again at all. He was probably the creature, or _person_ I should say now, that I had missed least of all in my absence.

"I wanna pour mine," Junior declared.

That was all the warning I got before the boy reached forward and grabbed the bowl. I knew what was coming even before his tiny hand closed over the ladle, the one that was way too heavy for him to handle. The thing about the ice figurine was, even though it was fairly large, it was completely hollow and thinly sculpted. This was probably done in the interest of practicality when carrying it and such. However, because of its light weight, it went toppling over the table along with about a quart of spilled punch before it collided with the marble floor and met its end. The heavy bowl was only tipped over on its side, it still had some juice left in it, but the ice sculpture was done for. All its pieces were shattered and melting in with the bright liquid puddle at our feet. Of course the loud crash of it all had the entire ballroom looking our way, and if that wasn't bad enough, the musicians had even stopped playing.

_And so I am reminded of why I don't deal with kids. _

The culprit behind the mess was standing very close to me. He was probably uneasy under everyone's scrutiny like I was. Too bad I didn't have a pair of legs I could step behind like him. Junior looked from the crowd up at me and his expression was remorseful and anxious, like he was terribly dreading something. He bent down and started to pick up a chunk of ice but then stopped and stood back up. I saw that the red on his hand was too dark and thick to be punch and it must've meant the ice he touched was actually glass. That would make sense, the ladle had dropped and broken so that's probably what cut him. I took some napkins from the table.

"Let me see that," I said softly.

He had tears forming in his eyes but they never fell. Wordlessly he stretched his hand over to me and I pressed the napkins onto the cut to staunch the small flow of blood. He grimaced but didn't hold the expression. I expected him to cry out or say something in regards to the pain but he had more apprehension about him than anything. I quickly saw why.

Cutting through the crowd towards us was a tall, lean redhead that I instantly recognized. It was funny how someone could be so changed but still so quintessentially the same. His hair was thick and tousled and brushed the chain of the golden medallion he wore. As he got closer I could see that his eyes were the same gold and green color as Junior. He was dressed simply in a pair of black pants and a jacket of the same color that fit him tightly and was wide open to reveal a tanned, muscular torso. Like my shirt his jacket was pushed up to the elbows and his nails were painted a color almost as dark as his aura. He made his way over to the two of us and loomed over his son.

"What did you do?" He asked coldly.

Junior stiffened and said in a small voice, "I made a mess."

The Dark King rolled his eyes and said curtly, "Yes. I can see that."

I noticed that Junior was holding his injured hand behind his back. He had the napkins closed tightly in his bleeding fist. Didn't that hurt him? It was like he was keeping his wound from his father for some reason. I wondered why.

"I wanted a drink," He explained and raised his little chin, "I was gonna pour it all by my own self but I dropped it."

The king's eyes were steadily darkening with each word his son confessed. He turned his flinty eyes down at the boy and stared at him until Junior swallowed hard. It looked like the boy was too scared to even breathe the wrong way. I could understand the king being peeved about what his son did but this was just too much. Couldn't he see the boy was about to pee himself? In a controlled voice the king spoke.

"Didn't I tell you to sit down and keep still?" His voice was dangerously low.

Junior clamped his mouth shut and blinked fearfully. "Yes," He replied quietly.

"Well why _didn't_ you?" The king hissed.

His son was trembling slightly. He glanced at his feet and parted his lips to say something, but yet remained silent.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" He demanded.

People jumped at his harsh command and his son was one of them. He jerked his head back up and looked at his father. Junior still didn't have anything more to say for himself.

"I asked you a question," The king spoke in warning. "Why didn't you do as I told you?"

Junior flinched and squeezed his bloody fist behind his back. All he could do was shakily shrug his shoulders up and down. Apparently that wasn't the answer the king wanted. He narrowed his eyes to slants and grabbed his son roughly by the arm. There were a few gasps in the crowd at that.

I felt the makings of disgust build inside of me. It was wrong what the king was doing, scaring his son half to death. Why didn't he just leave it alone already? It wasn't that big a deal. I'm sure the princess could get this cleaned up in no time with her efficient staff. It was nothing to get mad about, and it certainly didn't warrant his putting his hands on the boy.

"He didn't mean to do it." I told the king, "And he was only up because he was with me."

_A bit of a stretch, _I thought to myself, but at least the king had released his hold on Junior. The child stepped closer to me and I glanced down at him, but only for a second. The king was giving me the oddest of looks. His gaze was intense and not at all amicable. It was like he was trying to figure something out. Then recognition flashed across his features and he glared at me balefully. The intensity of his hateful stare caused me to lift a brow.

_Nice to see you again too, buddy._

The king advanced towards me and I stood rigidly in wait for what he planned to do. Did he plan on hitting me? Smashing my face in? That was the vibe I got. Before he could make his move, the princess intervened. She placed her hand in the crook of the Dark King's arm and I saw his demeanor change immediately. As soon as she touched him his eyes alighted as if he already knew who had approached, even though she was standing behind him. An insidious smirk took the place of his previous scowl and he turned away from his son.

"Leave him alone," The princess said softly.

The king appraised her, then drawled, "Of course. Might I have a word, Princess?"

"I don't think so." Mario stated.

He had come up beside the princess and was looking defensive.

"It's okay," she said, but she didn't look too sure.

Mario huffed, "No. It's not okay, come on."

He and she began to argue and the Dark King watched, amused. With his attention off of the two of us, I took Junior's free hand and led him out of the ballroom. He didn't say a word as I guided him gently to the marble staircase. Halfway to our destination he began to speak.

"Where we going?" he wanted to know.

I looked down and saw that he had relaxed back into the calmly curious boy he had been back at the table. All traces of fear were gone. He didn't even look shaken. What was that about? I focused on going up each step without tripping over the small boy.

"I need to take care of that hand," I answered.

Well I didn't need to do this. It was just the thing to do. After seeing what his father was like, I felt it necessary to at least do something for the boy. I felt bad for him.

Into the bedroom I was using was where I led Junior and from there I took him to the bathroom. My comb was still on the edge of the sink from earlier. I pushed it back near the faucet and turned both the hot and cold handles. The water came rushing out nice and warm. I took a small towel from the horizontal metal rod next to the shower and dipped it under the stream of water. Once I wrung it out, I held my hand against the small of Junior's back and shuffled him over to the embroidered couch against the wall.

"Sit here," I instructed.

Junior hopped onto it and swung his legs. He cradled his hurt hand in his lap and I took a look at it. Some of the blood on his palm was sticky and wet, but in places it was beginning to crust over. I dabbed the towel over his small hand carefully until all the blood was gone. Then I froze. I turned his hand over twice but the same startling image remained. It was his palm, yes, his clean smooth palm. But there was no cut. I traced my thumb over his skin and saw that there was a faint pink scar in between his index finger that ran to the middle of his wrist but that scar didn't make sense. Where was the cut?

Junior's face was blank as he looked at his own hand, too. He then looked to me.

"What's wrong?" he asked innocuously.

I frowned, "What happened to the cut on your hand?"

"It's gone," He replied simply. "It's all better now."

"Does that always happen when you get a. When you get hurt?" I asked.

He said, "Yes, all the time I think."

I decided to leave it alone. I had seen plenty of strange things in this world, this was not the most extreme thing of them all. Maybe the Composition Curse altered his body in a way that allowed for such quick regeneration. During the walk from the ballroom to my guest room his wound had healed, there was no doubt about it. It was the only logical explanation. So maybe the curse had something to do with that. What else did the curse do? What were its effects? There were so many things I wanted to know but I guess I'd have to wait for now. There was a party going on, and I had to get this kid back to his father. I frowned again.

"Is your father always like that?" I asked Junior.

He blinked and looked down. "Um, sometimes my daddy is scary like that when I do something bad."

"You'll be alright, though, right?" I asked him warily.

Junior nodded. He smiled at me and said, "Yes, I'm alright Lu."

"That's not what I." I stopped. "Whatever. Come on, let's go back downstairs."

"Kay," He chirped.

He appeared to be unaffected by what had happened and that bothered me. It gave the impression that incidents like the one moments ago were somewhat commonplace and that the boy was used to it. That made me feel sick inside. Even though he was the son of an evil king, Junior was still just a kid.

* * *

There it was again. That dark figure at the edge of the corridor. She knew who it was but she had no clue what he could possibly want with her.

After the Dark King had asked to have a word with her, Peach had felt her heart flutter worriedly. It already took a lot of nerve for her to go and approach him, but she had stamped down the trepidation inside her and had asked him to stop in his advances towards Luigi. She hated to see conflict transpiring and didn't want to see harm come to her brother-in-law. At the moment, he was just another man making trouble, but as she got closer and touched him and he turned toward her, she instantly knew who it was.

She had wanted to humor Bowser and see what it was he had to say to her but Mario insisted that was too risky. He said if Bowser had something to say to her, he could say it out here in the open. Peach could see that he was acting in her own interest and she didn't blame him for trying to protect her. That was the reason she was sitting here, safe at the table, watching others dance and converse and make merry. Mario was speaking with her adviser, the short, wizened old Toadsworth. Nobody was watching her, for once. She could get away, if she wanted to. And she did want to.

She looked from her lap to the corridor and her body gave a start. He was still there, waiting for her. Peach glanced around her again and saw that she was still only the object of one person's ocular interest, and that person was standing ominously out in the hall. She made up her mind.

Very carefully Peach rose from her seat and moved away from her table, towards the dark hall. She gathered her skirts in her gloved hands and pursed her lips against the shallow breaths that were begging to be released in response to her nervously pounding heart. Her dress glittered conspicuously and at that moment she wished she had chosen something less noticeable to wear. She didn't want anyone to see her slipping away but in the dress she wore it was inevitable. The bright white and gold trim number was made to stand out. This was her night, after all. She frowned lightly at that.

Peach was at the hall now and there he was. The king didn't acknowledge her, he just began walking confidently, as if it were his hall he was striding through. The way he refused to look back made it seem like he expected her to follow. Peach hesitated. Like a wraith he moved further away noiselessly. She wasn't sure she wanted to isolate herself like that but she did want to find out so badly what he wanted with her. After a few seconds of indecisiveness her curiosity won out and she picked up her skirts once more. As she hurried after the king she idly wondered why it was so dark in the hall. None of the torches were lit. That was odd.

Bowser certainly had changed. She pondered this as she watched his back. He was always an oddity to her. Big and hulking and monstrous. She remembered fearing him as one fears a natural disaster in that she knew he was a force to be wary of and she knew of his propensity for destruction, but the fear was impersonal and was felt collectively as no kingdom or country was safe from him. Even when he used to kidnap her frequently in the past, she only saw him as an obstacle for her to endure and Mario to overcome. No real threat when it came down to it. He never laid a hand on her while she remained under his watch in captivity and she sincerely got the impression that she was merely 'bait' in all those instances. Just a tool for the animalistic Bowser to use to get to his arch foe, Mario. Now that the war was over, however, and she was seeing him for the first time, she could hardly feel the same way. To be honest, Peach didn't know what to think of him. He wasn't the grotesquely brutish looking creature he was before.

Suddenly Bowser rounded on her. His gait towards her was slow, predatory. She instinctively backed up.

She had no clue what to expect from him, he'd never behaved this way before. Her eyes darted to the other end of the hall where there was a little light coming in from the ballroom; was it too late to turn back? Could she make it if she ran away now?Would he follow her? Would he even let her leave? She had no idea. This only proved what she was feeling earlier. This wasn't the same Bowser she knew. He might as well have been a stranger for all she knew of this new person. What on Earth had possessed her to come down this hall alone? She shivered and looked back up at the king.

His gold-flecked green eyes were intense. His hypnotic gaze stopped her heart, his malicious smirk turned the blood in her veins to ice. She felt the wall against her back and jumped. She really hadn't realized she had still been retreating from him but it was to be expected because she was so very scared. He was even more dangerous now. It had a lot to do with his appearance, for one. Instead of the outlandish, cartoonish creature he had been before he was so much more real now. The Dark King was up to par with his name.

She trembled as Bowser looked her up and down languorously without speaking a word. Though he could now. That was another thing that set him apart from his former self. He was capable of more than just snarls and growls. Why he was being so silent, Peach didn't know. She had half a mind to ask him what he was about but she didn't get the chance. He had decided to show her his intentions instead.

He grabbed her hips and slammed his lips onto the side of her neck. His mouth was warm and wet against her skin and she gasped as he moved his kisses quickly up her jaw. While his hands roamed to places they shouldn't ever be he started to talk.

"I **will** finish what I started, _Princess_," He whispered, "Not now but soon."

Peach gathered up all her strength, which wasn't much at the time, and pushed at his chest. He remained unmoved. He grabbed her hands by the wrists and forced the back down to her sides. She struggled against his hold but managed to speak through her terror.

"Are you going to kidnap me again?" She asked him fearfully.

He grinned at that and she shuddered. His voice spoke with promise, "No. Never again."

The king bent his head close to hers and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not gonna kidnap you. I won't have to. Soon you'll come crawling into my lap of your own volition."

Those words shocked her and rocked her to the core. If she wasn't frightened before...She doubled her efforts to get away from him and gained more of a spine to refute his words.

"No, I _won't_." She denied, then demanded, "Get your vile hands off me! Mario! Mario!"

She screamed for her fiance and was relieved when his familiar heavy footfalls sounded down the hall. She didn't care how he had gotten there so fast. He probably noticed she was missing and had been around the area anyway. When she screamed, she imagined that made him come running.

Mario saw the pair and his face flushed red with anger. Not at Peach, who was shaking and hurrying over to him, but at the tall king who looked as if he had just won something. He was smirking devilishly and had his hands in his pockets and his chin raised in challenge. Mario wanted to go over and thwart him and he would have, had the circumstances not called for a certain air of decorum. The plumber-turned-prince held his princess in his arms and glared at the Dark King.

"What did you do?" He demanded.

Bowser chuckled, "Nothing. Yet."

"Leave," Mario then ordered, "You're not welcome here."

The king shrugged. "As you wish." he said.

When he sauntered past the embracing couple he sneered at Mario but gave the princess another once-over and mouthed the word '_soon'_ to her utter horror. She closed her eyes and held onto Mario more tightly. She wracked her brain as her fiance led her back to the ballroom. She wanted to know why Bowser said those things to her and what he was alluding to. There had to be a reason behind his behavior. He wasn't acting like the aloof villain that used to kidnap her and keep her stowed away in some empty room, untouched, for the duration of her forced stay. He was making things personal by touching her and threatening her. His threat of making her come to him was preposterous, ridiculous, it was never going to happen so why would he say that?

She sighed.

She knew why. Because in her heart she couldn't deny that the Dark King's touch had been entirely unwelcome. She had acted adversely to him because it was the way she should react to her enemy but now that he was gone she knew that his threat wasn't so far-fetched. She was afraid then because that was not supposed to be so. She was engaged and due to be married. She wasn't supposed to be in the least bit attracted to him. But she was. And she was scared, because she knew if she wasn't careful, there was a legitimate chance of Bowser's words about her ringing true.

* * *

**A/N: Um, this was a long chapter. I was going to include the rest of the night of the party in this chapter but this is absolutely too long. It'll have to wait until next chapter. **

**So what do you guys think? Do you still like this story now that you've had a little sampling of the tone? This is going to be a dark story, just thought I'd warn you for the last time, so if you're starting to have second thoughts...Anyway, if you feel so inclined please be sweet and leave me a review! Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for reviewing and faving and following! Don't stop with your support and encouragement, I really really really appreciate you all and am motivated to continue! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mario or its franchise, it belongs to the people over at Nintendo.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Being alone with Junior left me with a lot of questions, even more than him; and he had so very many. He was just as talkative as earlier, before his father scared him. I came to find out that the boy did know Mario but not me. That was strange. Of all the people who didn't know me, and there were lots of them too, I expected this boy to remember me. I had been faced against his tiny self plenty of times both with and without my brother. But Junior didn't seem to remember me at all. Was that an effect of the Composition Curse? I really need to study up on that while I'm here.

"Lu, who's that?" the child asked.

I first looked down at him. He had one hand clasped in mine and the other extended towards the bottom of the staircase where somebody stood. His blinked up at me expectantly. I smiled as I recognized the person just as the two of us reached them. It was Daisy. She turned and gave me an even brighter grin.

"Luigi," she breathed, "I think that was real brave of you to stand up to the Dark King; he's such a monster."

The child at my side straightened to his full height of maybe three or four feet and and lifted his chin proudly. He had an indignant light in his green eyes when he addressed Daisy.

"My daddy's not a monster!" He cried, then boasted, "He's the greatest!"

I shared a look with Daisy and her confusion and unease mirrored my own. Surely Junior didn't believe that? But then again, he was only five years old and very impressionable. Who knew what kind of impression his father was leaving on him. Just as I thought that, said king came strolling around the bend over to us.

"There you are," He said as he saw Junior.

He ushered the boy by the back of his neck away from Daisy and I. He didn't look like he was hurting Junior at all so that was good. Though his father spared us not a glance, Junior turned round and beamed brightly at me. I caught sight of that missing tooth in the bottom corner of his smile again. When the little boy turned to Daisy, he made a face and stuck out his tongue, then turned back around.

"He certainly is a little character," Daisy remarked with a faint smile, "Reminds me of my cousins when they were his age."

I watched the two of them, king and prince, leave the ballroom. Bowser didn't appear to be popular among the other guests by the way they were giving him and his little boy such a wide berth. The king paid them no mind as he swaggered out of the castle. He stopped to talk to the only person who could stand to be near him, it seemed, which coincidentally was Peasley's fiance. Peasley himself only nodded to the king, then looked boredly away. His fiance was smiling flirtatiously and exchanging words with the king who had his back to me. Junior stood ram-rod straight while they spoke, and then finally the castle was free of the King of the Badlands. I turned to Daisy.

She was watching me again, I knew because she quickly darted her eyes away and looked down. Her shyness made me smile a little. She looked nice tonight. A cotton blue dress is what she wore, one that looked thin and home-sewn. She had a white petticoat and white tights under it but the material on those looked thin as well. Her sleeves were long and slim and covered the tops of her hands, down to her knuckles. It was a sort of dress that left her neck and shoulders bare and clung to her a bit; not enough to show off what kind of figure she had but I had enough of an imagination to pick up the slack. Her long wavy dark hair was out of her face and off of her back, pinned to the back of her hair in a neat braided bun. The black boots she had on were dull but nicer than her other pair. Although she didn't have any jewelry or perfume wafting off of her like the other women and female creatures at the party, she still looked beautiful in her own right. And she smelled good, like sweet fruit and hay. Odd combination that was equally odd in its pleasantness. But she looked so nervous, still staring off to the side and playing with her fingers at her waist. I wanted to set her at ease, to let her know that she had no reason to be shy. I decided I would compliment her as we walked back into the light of the ballroom.

"You smell pretty." was what I came up with.

_What is wrong with me? _

As many times as I had to ask myself that, you'd think I know but I don't. Smell pretty? That didn't even make sense! What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I have said something like you smell nice, or maybe you look pretty. But you smell pretty? I sighed.

"Thank you," Daisy replied demurely.

I glanced over at her and noticed her smile was even prettier in the light. She wasn't looking at me still but she appeared thoroughly pleased with what I'd said. Good. That made one of us, at least.

"Are you enjoying yourself so far?" She asked me.

I shrugged, "As much as can be expected when nobody knows who you are."

_Did I say that out loud? _

"I don't think I fit in much, is all." I added quickly.

I didn't want to weird her out with my depressive musings. It was true, though. Walking around with nobody to talk to was like being invisible. It wasn't too much of an exaggeration; the only people who knew me either only knew _of _me from Mario or seriously disliked me (Bowser) or was the engaged couple themselves. The exceptions were Peasley and the girl standing next to me now. What was she to me? A friend? I don't think I can call her that, not yet. I've only known her a few days. But she's more than just some random person. She's gone out her way to be kind to me and that meant a lot, especially when I could see her motives for doing so weren't to hook up with me. Although I can tell she's into me.

"I know what you mean," Daisy said softly.

_Wait what did I say again?_

"I'm just a merchant's daughter." She explained quietly, "Most people here can tell. Just because everyone's invited to this party doesn't mean everyone's welcome."

I blinked. Her words basically summed up what I was feeling exactly. How did she know? She was clearly speaking about her self, she really did understand. Sometimes people just feigned empathy because it was the polite thing to do, but I hated that. This girl actually knew what it was like to be looked down on. I can't say I've felt much of that, but it made me wonder which was worse; being socially invisible or being seen yet looked down upon. Either way, her insight made me look at her in a different light. I felt a sort of kindred-ness with her then.

"Hey baby brother, get over here!" Mario called.

I looked around and saw that everybody was clustered towards one end of the ballroom and the music had stopped. Their hands held fine wine glasses high and their attention was directed towards my brother and the princess, who stood above everyone on a raised dais. With one arm round the princess' waist and the other holding a fragile glass full of dark liquid Mario beckoned me by jerking his head back.

"Come on, get up here!" He grinned.

I knew what he wanted from me and immediately began to sweat. I locked eyes with my brother and silently implored him to leave me alone. With a subtle shake of my head I begged him to just laugh and look away. I should've known he wouldn't though, Mario wasn't one for subtlety. Everyone was looking at me now, they were expecting me to go up there and make a speech. In front of everyone. I wiped my hands on my pants but they still felt cold and clammy, like my feet.

"Go ahead," Daisy encouraged suddenly.

I glanced at her and winced at her easy smile. She nodded once and I swallowed. _If only she knew. But Mario does, and yet he's making me do this. This is the part of his personality I didn't particularly care for. He knew how I felt about crowds and public speaking and yet he still made me do this. It was his way of trying to 'help' me 'grow out of' my ways, but he was doing more harm than good. He was only reminding me why I hated this. _

My steps were stiff as I made my way to the head table where the princess had her arm around Mario's back and her other hand on his chest. He was holding her close around the waist and was beaming down at me as I got to him. I blew out a sigh and forced myself to remain calm. On the outside.

"The floor's all yours," Mario told me.

I just stared at him hard before looking out at the crowd. From my spot on the dais I had a good view of all the people there. They stared back at me and waited for what I had to say. So did I. At the moment I had no clue. What was I supposed to say? I hate how Mario just put me on the spot. I again searched those faces, those well-meaning faces. Those haughty faces. Those blank faces. Those drunk faces. Then I saw Daisy. She was still smiling at me. That calmed me down because at least her face spoke to me. Everyone else was staring detachedly, they didn't know me but she did. That was comforting. I breathed in.

"To my brother and. The princess," I turned to those two and said quietly so my voice wouldn't shake, "You deserve each other."

I was being honest. Seeing them holding each other like that made me think that even with all the arguing they've been doing, they were still made for each other. They still belonged to each other. I had come to accept their love was meant to be.

"I hope only good things come to you, and to this kingdom." I said in conclusion.

The people in attendance applauded politely as I stepped down and jammed my hands in my pockets. They were shaking, for goodness sakes. My heart was beating like crazy and I had to clench my jaw to keep that cool, indifferent look on my face. I met up with Daisy but knew that the royal couple was behind me.

"That was great, Luigi." She told me.

I shrugged and turned around to face Mario and the princess. They were regarding me genially but now that everyone's eyes were off of them, the princess seemed incredibly distressed about something, though she was hiding it well, I'd give her that. I was just really good at reading people and their emotions.

"This must be the lucky gal you've been on about," Mario boomed good-naturedly, "What's your name, sweetheart?"

I sighed. He was doing it, talking like he was back in Brooklyn. I could see that hadn't changed. He was exaggerating, though. I hadn't been 'on about' Daisy at all. Not that I didn't like her or anything, she was a good person. I just didn't like that he was making it seem like I was all lovesick, 'cause I wasn't. Not that there was anything wrong with her.

I blinked. While musing around I'd missed introductions. Daisy was bowing and smiling at the royal couple.

"It's nice to see you again," The princess stated.

Daisy smiled at that and nodded. To my slight horror, Mario gave me one of those suggestive looks and waggled his eyebrows up and down. He looked pointedly from me to Daisy and I flushed. I wish he'd cut it out already.

"I think I better go," Daisy said then. "It's getting late."

And that was my escape.

"You want me to take you home?" I asked.

There was a hidden desperation in my tone but I didn't care, I just prayed she'd say yes so I could get away from all these people. There was my last ditch effort of just slipping away upstairs for the night, but that plan had too many variables; there was too high a chance of me getting stopped by someone to talk more about my brother or something to that extent. And it was kind of rude to just do that, I felt.

"I'd like that," Daisy told me with a small blush.

_So there is a God _

"Great." I said aloud over my relief.

She and I then began maneuvering around the dancing conversing laughing smiling people and headed for the door. I found it was easiest to just get in front of her and push. I thought I'd drive myself hoarse from the many 'excuse me's and 'I'm sorry's' that I had to keep repeating to assuage the people I'd offended. I didn't regret it though, the ballroom was stifling with all those people breathing the same air in and out. I only endured it for the girl making her way through the crowds behind me. Finally we got to the front doors and were outside at last. The night air was gratifyingly crisp and clean compared to inside. I breathed it in through my nose and closed my eyes. It felt so good, it made those tense muscles in my shoulder relax and my stomach unclench. I gazed up at the dark, starry sky and smiled a bit, then looked over at Daisy. She was looking up as well, but she had her arms wrapped and her fingers were gripping her shoulders tightly. She shivered.

"It's cold out here tonight," She murmured.

I asked her, "Do you want my jacket?"

She met my eyes and blinked. She really looked stunned or something. I took her silence as a yes and began shrugging out of my cloak. When I had it off of me, I draped it round her shoulders. I was close enough to hear her breath hitch while I did so. She really did smell good. Then I pulled back and watched her turn red while she curled her pale fingers over the flaps of the black fabric and pull the cloak around her fully. She looked up at me and grinned.

"You might be the sweetest man in the city, Luigi." She told me quietly.

I shrugged. I was just doing the courteous thing. Maybe she wasn't used to that. I know back home it isn't exactly a common thing for men to hold doors or pull out chairs, but I guess I'm doomed to be the odd one. Or maybe I'm just old-fashioned. Either way, I was only doing what I thought was proper. Besides, it's not like I miss it. I actually liked the prickly sensation the cold night air gave to my skin. It put me on edge, a good one for once. I shoved my hands into my pockets once more and began descending the long white steps with Daisy at my side.

"It was good to see you again," She said then.

I nodded, "Yeah."

She walked slightly in front of me as we got down to the dirt path leading to the market. Everything was calm and quiet, the excitement was still taking up residence at the castle for the evening. Most everybody must have shown up, or at least that's what I thought until we got past the marketplace. We were going further out of the city, towards the outskirts. Shacks and shoddy houses jogged my memory to the horse ride I took a couple days ago with this very same girl. I really didn't remember seeing these the last time I was here. Did she live in this part of the city? It was poor and very populated. The people here must not have attended the party, I would've have been able to recall seeing their gaunt faces and sickly thin frames. Were they starving? I took a closer look but tried not to stare for too long. No, they weren't emaciated to the point of being starved, but I could see that in terms of food and clothing, they were barely getting by. Why was that? Didn't Mario know about these people? Why didn't he do anything to help them?

Daisy didn't seem bothered about the state of her environment, in fact she seemed oddly pleased by the way she looked ahead aimlessly and smiled a small wistful smile. She glanced back at me and I quirked a brow.

"Yes?" she prompted.

"You live around here?" I asked her carefully.

Her face lost some of its color. She nodded and said, "Um. Yes. Just over there."

I looked to where she was pointing and nodded inside. At least her place had a roof and sturdy-looking walls. It was a patchwork of different material like wood and metal, but it was. Decent. A hovel, no doubt, but a decent hovel. She led me over to it without that smile alighting her features and I had to step over things as we made our way over. Rocks. Large logs. Small animals. Children? Yes, there were two little kids sitting in the middle of what was their backyard and their neighbors' front one. As I walked around them, they stared at me with round, curious eyes. I couldn't figure out what they were doing sitting out in the stripped grass when it was so cold out, and they only had on these long white shirts that served as gowns. An older woman came out the back door of one of the houses and ushered them inside.

"Here it is," Daisy called to me.

I turned away from the shutting door where the two children disappeared behind and looked to the place she called her home. The wooden door was solidly hinged on the wood frame of the moderate sized house. There was a path of stones curving from the base of the door out to where the grass ended and gave way to plain dirt ground. Her house was on the outskirts of the outskirts, right next to the expanse of dirt that separated the shoddy neighborhood from the thick forests. It was a dark brown color all around, with only two windows on its front face. Out of one of them a pale face peeked through, and there was a young man, her cousin probably, standing in the open doorway.

Daisy stood across from him and looked at me. She was searching for something in my face then, I had an inkling of what. Maybe she thought she'd find condescension or judgement there but I had none on display. I didn't look down on her for living her, hell if she could only see where _I _laid my head at night. The apartment was neck-and-neck with this place. I tried to use my own eyes to convey my acceptance of her but I'm not sure she got the message. She just looked down, then back up without the anxiety. Maybe she did understand.

"Are you staying for the wedding?" she wanted to know.

I nodded slowly, "Yeah. Isn't it, like, the day after tomorrow?"

She shook her head, "No, didn't you hear the announcement? Oh that's right, you were with King Bowser's son."

The young man in the doorway stiffened at the mention of the Dark King. I wondered at that .

"Well Prince Mario and Princess Peach made an announcement while you were upstairs, they're pushing the wedding date back two weeks." She informed me.

I blinked in confusion. Two weeks? Why would they do that? It had to have something to do with those arguments the couple kept having. Maybe. I didn't know, I could only speculate. Daisy was looking at me expectantly now.

"So are you staying?" She asked once more.

I didn't answer right away. I didn't want to let her down, but I had to be honest. Two more weeks in the city with my brother and the princess didn't look too good. Actually it looked like hell. But my life back in Brooklyn was pretty much the same anyway. The only variable that was different in between the two was that here I at least had some company. That I enjoyed. I had Daisy, and maybe Peasley, that counted for something.

"I was thinking," Daisy began nervously, "Um, if you were going to stay, then maybe we could spend more time together. I mean, if you wanted to?"

Her voice lilted up at the end of her sentence unsurely. She looked so..._something_, in that moment, that I couldn't say no to her. With her eyes all hopeful and with her wringing her fingers at her waist, she just looked so...I didn't have a word for it. Anyway, my mind was made up. So what if I didn't pack enough clothes or if I had to endure more tension and awkwardness around my brother and his fiance, I would stay. If only to get to know this girl a little better. Plus I had a huge amount of questions regarding this war and the Dark King, as he'd been dubbed. Maybe I could spend these two weeks getting some answers.

"So..." Daisy trailed.

I shook my head, "Oh. Yeah. I'll stay."

She broke out in a huge grin and I couldn't help but smile back. The way her lips curved over her teeth was brilliant, it was a radiant smile, genuine and large. I didn't see too many of those. Did it make her that happy that I was staying? My eyes wandered from her to the dark-haired young man in the doorway. All I could make out was his face in the dark house, and it was lined with mistrust. He was giving me a hard look and I bristled, but resisted shooting him one of my own. Then I went rigid.

While I'd been looking away, Daisy had stepped forward and had wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I was so shocked she did something like that I didn't move. Why was she hugging me? We didn't know each other that well. But she was a nice girl, and friendly so it made sense. I should hug her back. Just as I thought that, she pulled back and smiled at me one last time, then went into the house. Her cousin gave me another dirty look before he shut the door as well.

I stood there for a few seconds. The hug was unexpected, but not really unpleasant. I wasn't a touchy-feely kind of person but that bodily contact wasn't wholly unwelcome. It was certainly a change from the way another little vixen of a female tended to touch me. I couldn't even name the ways she's put her hands on me without flushing with embarrassment. But where Tanya's touches bordered on assault, Daisy had probably meant nothing but goodwill.

_So why did I just stand there like a statue instead of hugging her back? _

I couldn't answer that. My social awkwardness had struck again, I supposed. Or maybe I just wasn't ready for it, she certainly had shocked me. I hope she didn't take my inaction the wrong way, though. What if she did? What if she thinks I don't like her or something? What if I hurt her feelings?

_No use bothering with what ifs, it's already done now. _

That was true, I guess. I'd just have to show her that I didn't _not_ like her the next time I saw her.

* * *

There were a lot of things Peach regretted in the last three years. But marrying Mario wasn't one of them, at least that's what she told herself. She direly hoped that the makings of doubt within her would just go away already, but with the way their relationship is headed, she could feel that it was only growing. Where _was _her relationship with Mario going anyway? Not anywhere good, that was for sure. She didn't like the tension between them. She hated to argue with him. She hated being upset with him and having him mad at her but she didn't know what to do. In the beginning, things between them were wonderful and she was no fool, she knew that was mainly because she chose to overlook his many flaws in favor of seeing the ultimate good in him. But the flaws weren't flaws back then, just little things that got on her nerves. It was easy to excuse his heavy-handed way of speaking and his coarse eating habits. Those things could be ignored, changed even. They, and other quirks like it, were no threat to her relationship with the hero at all.

But then the war began.

The Great War was anything but that, and her relationship had suffered because of it. The longer it progressed, the more distant and closed off Mario became. She didn't understand why he was being so aloof with her but the war was happening and that was hardly the time to sit and discuss feelings and whatnot. So she had suffered his distance in silence. He changed almost everyday during the war, becoming grim and short-tempered with the servants and he always holed himself up in that war room with his allies. Those were some strange people and creatures indeed. He enlisted the aid of dark magicians and shady tacticians, people he wouldn't even go near a few months before the Great War, but there he was in the midst of constant battle and bloodshed cavorting with his enemies' type of bedfellows. It confused her, but she didn't want to get in his way so she was quiet. He seemed to like her that way, when she didn't question him too much about what was going on or what he was doing. All along, though, the worry was eating her alive. She felt so completely lonely with him spending all his time at the front lines or in the war room or God knows where else, because in all honesty sometimes she had no clue where it was he'd go when he'd disappear for days on end without so much as a 'by your leave'. It hurt her, to say the least, and every night she'd either cry or tremble with suffused anger and pray that the war would be over. She figured that after it ended, so would Mario's reclusive behavior. She thought that with the end of the war, a normalcy would come in its place.

How naive she had been!

Now, sitting here on her and Mario's large satin-sheeted bed she splayed her clammy white hands over her pale pink cotton nightgown and sighed at her own foolishness. She thought those lonely nights would be over with the war's end and that Mario would be the kind-hearted, jovial man who'd taken her heart years ago but she'd been wrong. Oh yes, things did calm down after the war but that seemed to be the only change. Mario was still shutting himself off from her, only now it was post-war legislature and diplomatic paperwork and other government affairs that needed to be seen to. He was so busy trying to make life livable again in the kingdom that he had no time for her. His efforts weren't in vain, he did see to it that the people were taken care of and that the city was brought back to standard after it had been nearly destroyed. And she was glad for all that he was doing all that for the kingdom, but when would he do something for _her_? She felt selfish in thinking that way and consequently kept her thoughts and sentiments bottled up inside. That was never a good thing to do, for her bitterness began manifesting itself in other ways. She began to nag him. She began to see fault in all that he did and she found it harder to overlook his old flaws, let alone tolerate his new ones. With the coming and going of the war, she learned more about his personality than she cared to. He could be deceitful and if she was saying something he had no ears for, then he had no qualms about cutting her off or just leaving the room. She liked to believe that they were just going through a phase, that all couples argued and fought. There were enough good times in between the fighting for her to believe so. But those good times were dwindling. Since Luigi arrived, he'd been the buffer that had kept their arguing down to a minimum but he wouldn't be around forever. And it really wasn't right for her to depend on someone else's presence to keep the peace between her and Mario. So with that in mind, she had no idea where she and her former lover were headed. It was distressing.

_And if that's not bad enough, _she thought to herself, _I've got to add the Dark King to it all. _

She shuddered. Seeing him for the first time in months since he last staged a battle in the city during the war was frightening. On so many levels. _  
_

_I can't lie to myself, _she knew, _he has changed. On the outside at least, and though that shouldn't matter, it does. He's. _

Peach bit her lip and closed her eyes tightly. _He attracts me, and that's frightening because he's my enemy and I love Mario. _

_Do I really? _

She stiffened and clutched the lace hem of her nightgown in her dainty fists. _Of course I do. With all my heart, that hasn't changed. It's just...seeing the Dark King tonight. Made me feel. It made me feel a way I shouldn't, and I know I'm attracted to him but I don't know why. He's evil! He's got so much evil in him and just because he's changed on the outside doesn't mean his heart isn't any less black and stony than it was before._

She had the distinct feeling that she was trying to convince herself rather than confirm her beliefs. She gazed away from her lap and to the window where Mario stood with his back turned. He was dressed in a pair of loose burgundy pants and a thin silk shirt; like her he was ready for bed. His hair was a tangled, chestnut-colored mess and his back was taut with stress.

"Luigi found himself a girl." he said, quite out the blue.

Peach jolted a little at the sound of his voice, having gotten used to quiet that constantly enveloped the bedroom. She was more ready for his gruff tone the second time he spoke.

"A pretty one." he added.

The princess couldn't tell where he was going with this random conversation, but she decided to interject. If it was civility Mario was aiming for tonight, then she wouldn't deny him. There were so few moments of civility between them that wasn't forced like it was now. She missed their easy compatibility.

"They would make a charming couple," Peach commented.

No sooner had she said as much did Mario turn around and smile wryly. He stared at his fiance and she couldn't read the emotions behind his eyes, he had them blanked out.

"Isn't that what they said about us?" He asked sardonically.

Peach felt as if she'd been slapped. She knew what he was implying by that correlation and she didn't appreciate his cynicism; really, did he think she liked the way things were between them any more than he did? It hurt her to hear him talk that way but it couldn't be helped, she supposed.

"Well anyway, I hope she makes my brother happy," Mario continued after the barb, "Luigi's been sick with depression these days."

Peach nodded but only absently so. She could tell that was the end of what he had to say because he had slapped his hands down by his sides and was making his way over to the bed. Her heart gave a start and she tried not to make her haste to get under the downy covers too noticeable. She was just turning onto her side when he pulled back the flap of comforter and settled himself down next to her. She sighed a little but tried to fall asleep. She flinched a little when he reached for her, tried to hold her. With her free hand she pushed his away. He pulled back immediately but she could almost feel him staring exasperatedly at her back.

"What's this all about?" He asked at last.

She started to say 'what?' but thought better of it. She knew what he was referring to so it didn't make sense to draw out unnecessary conversation, especially when she wanted to sleep. So she thought better of her reply.

"Nothing," was her eventual answer.

"Is this about the argument?" Mario quickly asked after that.

_Which one, _she thought wearily. But she wanted to keep this verbal interaction brief, so she didn't think to say that out loud. It would also draw out the conversation.

She shook her head and claimed, "No. I'm only tired, Mario."

"Tired?" Mario repeated.

There was a trace of skepticism there and Peach hoped against hope that he wouldn't call her on it. She didn't feel like going back and forth with him. There was some truth to her words after all. Luckily, Mario only sighed heavily and scoffed to himself.

"If you say so," he said before moving away from her.

He retreated all the way to the opposite side of the bed and turned his back to her. Once he was settled, he scoffed lightly again and was quiet thereafter. In little time he was asleep. Peach was not.

She could only lie awake for a good portion of the night wondering just why things were the way they were. _How did things turn so bad, _she wanted to know, _How did we get here? More importantly, __if at all possible, how do we go back?_

* * *

**_A/N: _That's this chapter, it's significantly shorter than the last, this is the bit that I had to cut off of chapter four. Anyway, you know what to do: tell me what you think of the story so far in a review! I'd love to hear all about it! Things are still kinda slow, but the darkness is creeping upon our unsuspecting cast and crew so...**

**Until next time, **

**~DymondGold~**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the feedback! I love hearing what you've got to say!**

**I might be a little late with the next chapter since my eyes are acting funny and school has started and also, I have a Mortal Kombat story I'm about to upload. But I haven't and won't give up on this! **

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its characters/themes/settings.**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

I woke up late again, I seemed to be sleeping in a lot over at this palace. Though it was only about eight or so it was late for me. It wasn't bad, my body was actually thanking me for not dragging it out of bed at the crack of dawn (or what felt like it anyway) when I had to go to work. Currently I was lying on my side in a mass of the warm blankets, pondering my next move. I could just stay in bed a little longer, then get up and eat an tense breakfast with my brother and the princess, and later read my comics to pass the time. Hm.

_Sounds like a load of boredom and unnecessary social awkwardness._

Yeah, that's true. Instead of doing that, I could go into the city and see Daisy. I smiled a little. Yeah, it's a no-brainer. I stood up and stretched, then pushed the covers off of me. The room was warm now that the sun was allowed a couple of extra hours to rise high and spread its rays through the window. Light spilled haphazardly all over the room so I had to blink to get adjusted to it. I felt well-rested and excited and a tad bit nervous. It was because I had something to look forward to for once in a...well, ever. It was cool.

_Cool? It's more than that,_ I thought.

I dressed quickly in a pair of denim jeans and another t-shirt, this one was dark red. When I got my socks pulled on I shoved my feet into my trainers and grabbed my leather jacket. While I walked out of the room I pushed my arms through the sleeves and ran my fingers through my hair to get it to lay down. I got downstairs and headed to the dining room. Since I didn't get breakfast in bed, I figured the royal couple would be there. I was wrong.

The entire dining hall was abandoned, there was no one sitting at the table at all. I had planned to tell them I wouldn't be staying for breakfast and that I'd be in the city for an undetermined amount of time but now I didn't need to. Those two really weren't getting on too well. I thought after last night they'd be a little closer but maybe I was wrong and things were getting worse. Or maybe I was wrong and they were just busy doing stuff. Whatever, it wasn't my business. I gave the empty room and its implications one last shrug before striding over to the front doors.

I think I was starting to get used to the city because it didn't take me long at all to from the palace steps where the imposing guard stood to the bustling marketplace. I scoured the shops without forgetting to look down for carts and animals and small children in search of the familiar pink brick building with the vegetable and fruit carts out in front. I found it soon enough but Daisy wasn't there. Her cousins were. One of them was manning the shop window and the other was handling the two carts. I stopped and looked around.

"Uh. Hey." I stated in greeting.

Both boys had no customers just yet, they were only setting things up. At my appearance they both hadn't said much but when I spoke they exchanged a glance. The older-looking one turned from the shop window over to me with his unreadable eyes.

"Hey." He called back flatly.

It wasn't friendly, it wasn't hostile, his tone. He did have a wary expression playing on his face and when he folded his arms I knew he was mistrustful of me. The younger one had an apple clasped in his hands and was staring at me interestedly.

"Are you looking for Daisy?" he asked in a quiet sort of voice.

The older one shot him a look and the younger cousin looked a bit chagrined. I was confused at that. Was he not supposed to speak to me? I could understand that. I was a stranger after all. Or was he getting the look because he'd mentioned Daisy? I didn't much feel like trying to figure it out.

"Yeah, is she around?" I replied.

The older cousin seemed to relent now. He responded with, "She's still at home."

I let the information hang in the air between us for a while. Then I stared at the two of them somewhat expectantly. Was that all? Did they even plan on finishing the conversation? I guess not. They were starting to get back to their duties. I knew these boys were just that, boys, but I felt that I needed to go through them first to get to Daisy. It seemed like the thing to do so I cleared my throat and they once again turned to me.

"Can I see her?" I asked.

They shared another look but didn't answer me. Again they got back to what they were doing. They wheeled both of the carts into the shop and the older one gave me another hard look before he shut the door to the shop behind them. I frowned.

_A simple 'no' would've been nice. But no, go ahead, by all means ignore me and slam the damn door in my face. That always makes my morning, _I thought dryly.

I let a sardonic half-smile twist onto my lips before I just shrugged and started to walk off. Whatever. I guess I'll have to come back around later to see if Daisy was around, or maybe I'd come back tomorrow.

"Hey."

It was the same voice he used on me earlier, the roughly neutral tone of his. The older cousin was trying to get my attention. I looked over my shoulder and saw that he was locking the doors to the shop with the younger cousin behind him. He jerked his head to the left, behind me, and pocketed the keys.

"It's this way." He explained.

I couldn't help it, I was so relieved that he hadn't just blown me off that words of gratitude came spilling out of my mouth habitually. The boy gave me a weird look at that, and just blinked.

"Whatever," he said in response.

I shrugged and followed him. It didn't bother me. At this point, I was just glad I'd be able to see Daisy again. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't know what to do in this city. Maybe walk around aimlessly but with no money, there wasn't much excitement to that plan. Plus my feet would get tired eventually. And I didn't know a soul in this whole city, none but her. And her cousins, I guess. But I didn't really know them. I only knew what I could see, and that wasn't much. As we walked, I observed them.

They were indeed just kids. The older one had to be about fifteen or so. He was tall and lean and pale with unruly dark hair and equally dark eyes that seemed to be perpetually hooded. He looked back at me every so often as we trekked, probably to see if I was keeping up. Those glances allowed me to see the dots of freckles scattered under his eyes and over his nose and atop his cheeks. His jacket was tight on him and his brown pants seemed too small; the bottom of them rose up to reveal some dingy looking socks he wore under his boots that only came up to the very start of his calf. The younger cousin was much the same as the older in that he had that unruly brunette hair and hooded eyes and freckles. He wasn't so tall as the other but his height was unevenly dispersed; his arms and legs appeared gangly and his gait was uncertain, as if he wasn't quite used to his body. The awkwardness spoke of early adolescence. He had to be about thirteen or fourteen.

Finally we reached the house and the younger cousin rapped his knuckles against the wood door. A few seconds passed with us still standing there. The younger cousin smiled ruefully and knocked again.

"She's probably still sleeping," He murmured to himself.

Soon after he said that the door swung open to reveal a tired young woman in her sleepwear. Daisy stood there rubbing at her eyes with her long hair tied up in a messy knot at the back of her head. Her face was framed by the wispy tendrils and her bright eyes were imploring her cousins for an explanation. Those lips of hers were soft-looking and parted and though her face was very pretty to me, that wasn't what caught my attention. It was the way she was dressed. The white cotton pants she wore were loose on her legs and were hanging lopsided on her hips so that the skin of her waist showed, as well as the bright red fabric of her underthing. The t-shirt she wore, on the other hand, fit her extremely well, a little too well. It absolutely clung to her chest and rode up so that the flat expanse of her stomach was on display. For once I wished I wasn't so observant but as it was I saw everything. I pried my eyes from her figure just as she had caught sight of me.

"Oh!" She cried in surprise, "Luigi! I didn't know you were. C-come inside!"

She shooed her cousins away and ushered me into her home. I assumed that they were going back to the shop. Both of them brushed past me as I moved into the house. The older one gave me another dirty look and I bristled; what was his problem anyway? Did he have something against me? I didn't do anything to him.

_Calm down, Luigi. He's a kid. Probably just his testosterone kicking in or something like that. No need to feel threatened._

But I wasn't threatened, just peeved. I shouldn't let it bother me though because he was just a kid indeed. I wouldn't hold whatever it was against him. I had other things to worry about. The main one was standing in front of me right now.

Daisy leaned forward and shut the door, then stood back and crossed her arms under her chest. If only she knew that only brought more attention to her body. I swallowed hard and focused my eyes on her face, her nose, her eyes. Anything above the shoulders.

"I'm sorry but I wasn't prepared for company, I didn't know you'd be by. Just, um," Daisy blushed, "Just give me a minute to go and get dressed."

I nodded in what I'd hope she'd see was understanding. I didn't too much trust my voice at the moment. I was afraid something stupid would come tumbling out.

Daisy gestured to the left where her living room was and said, "You can um, have a seat. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Again I could only nod and take her suggestion as she padded down the hall barefoot. Only when she entered one of the rooms and shut the door behind her did I actually calm down. It was a lot to process, that little incident that happened just now. I sank down onto one of the ratty couches that sat along the same wall as the front door. There was a long wooden coffee table in front of me, and past that was another couch. Like the one I sat on, it was covered in a woven blanket so as to hide the many rips and torn seams, and to give it a more homey look, I guessed. There was a fireplace on the adjacent wall and a window behind my head. On the floor spanning a huge portion of the room there was a deep red rug. I sighed.

I continued to look around if only to get my mind off of Daisy and her curvy hips and her creamy skin. Next to the living room there was a section where a table and chair set rested. Behind it was another window with plain white sheets as curtains. From there I saw the kitchen; it had a conventional sink and many cabinets on one side and a wooden stove and ice box on the other side. There were brooms and mops lining the far wall and also oil lamps lying around everywhere. I looked straight ahead of me where there was an opening in the wall next to the opposite couch that gave way to a short hall. The floors were hardwood and had squeaked under Daisy's feet and I could see all the rooms from my seat. Two of them were on the left and two were on the right; one on the right was open, it had a mirror hanging and its reflective surface showed me that it was a bathroom I was looking at.

"Man," I sighed to myself.

The thing about this house was that it was hopelessly small, much like my apartment, so there was only so much observing to be done. That meant I could only hold off those thoughts of mine for so long. Now that I'd seen most of her house I was left alone with my own mind. That was almost never good. I dropped my head in my hands and rested my elbows on my knees. The images were starting to replay now; my demented mind was having a field day. Little snippets of her exposed skin. It was aggravating and wrong of me but it was happening so I had to just deal.

Like all the women I encountered, I began to compare Daisy to the princess. The one who'd held my heart. The differences were striking. For one, Daisy was shorter and tanner than the fair-skinned royal but slimly built like the princess was. She had more curves than I'd seen on the royal but then, I hadn't ever seen this much of the princess ever. I flushed. Her chest was certainly larger, I could tell that much. I groaned as more images came: her smooth stomach and inward-caving bellybutton. I wish there was an off switch in my head, or better yet a little bin labeled _'shit I should never ever under any circumstances think about'_ that I could shove all those images in.

"You wanted to see me?" Daisy asked.

_I think I've seen enough_

I blinked hard and schooled my features back into a neutral facade. With a little color in my face I stood and regarded her coolly. I had to cough a bit before I could answer her.

"Yeah," was my grand reply.

She nodded and stepped out of the hall and walked to the kitchen. I couldn't look at her just yet so all I saw was that she was no longer barefoot but had on her lace-up brown boots.

"Did you want to have breakfast with me?" She asked from the other room.

I was starving, breakfast sounded wonderful. "Yeah, sure." I answered.

_I wish my voice could convey a bit more excitement; it's on par with that of the undead at the moment._

At the precipice near the table-set I stood and watched her as she moved around. She was going around, packing things into a basket. Stuff like bagels for instance. She stopped at the counter and pulled a knife out of the drawer. After rinsing it off she used it to cut up some bananas and strawberries and apples. She had her hair down and it was wavy, shiny and nice-looking. Her face wasn't so sleepy anymore. And the yellow sundress she wore was. Pretty?

"Yellow looks good on you," I told her honestly.

_So does red, _I thought to myself.

She froze and blushed, then smiled and thanked me. I was busy trying to stave off more thoughts of that nature, ones that brought my attention back to the earlier incident. I watched her fidget with the knife before getting back to work on the fruit. As she did so, I realized what that word was I was looking for last night.

Cute.

That was how I'd describe her. Her shyness, her blushing, her fidgeting, it was cute. The way she looked as she asked if I was staying for the wedding was cute. With her eyes all hopeful and such. It was really very cute.

Daisy packed some chilled juice into the basket and then started to cover it with some silky looking dark red fabric. Again with the red, it was bringing back the image of those pants slipping down her waist and it was distracting me. I blinked hard and Daisy drew up the handles on the basket before coming over to me. I had gotten the picture by now that she was planning on going somewhere else to eat so when she got next to me I took the basket from her. She smiled and thanked me.

"Where do you wanna go?" She asked me.

I was at a loss; I didn't know my way around the city and I certainly didn't know any places to recommend. It probably showed on my face that I was floundering because she laughed and stepped towards the door.

"That's okay," She grinned, "I know a place."

_Thank God for that, _I thought in relief. She seemed to know her way around the kingdom quite well. I just followed her. It was a nice, quiet walk from her house to the marketplace, but she didn't stop there. She went around the back of the shop and came up to me with a horse she held by the reins. Her smile was inviting but I was beginning to sweat again. There were two of us, but only one horse.

"Come on, Luigi, hop on." She encouraged.

I stared at the horse and swallowed. No pressure. It'd be the same as my first day here, I'll just get on, put a little distance between us and hope for a quick trip to wherever we were going. Very stiffly I walked over to where she sat atop the steed with the leather straps gathered in her hands. I inhaled deeply and held the air there in my lungs as I mounted the beast behind her. No sooner had I got on and seated myself did she click her tongue and start off. I found that if I just kept my gaze forward past her shoulder and my hands down on the basket in front of me, I'd be fine.

It was hard though.

I wouldn't lie, I did fall short after we broke through the woods. It happened automatically. The horse stumbled in its gait and jostled the basket. One of my hands immediately latched onto the handles so it wouldn't fall and my other hand...well, it found something softer to hold onto. It was worse than ever now because in that brief moment where my fingers wrapped round her hip I pictured just what lay beneath that bright yellow sundress. Smooth, bare skin.

_What is wrong with me?_

"Are you alright?" Daisy turned round and asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Yeah."

Daisy was a good girl. She was kind and wholesome and it wasn't right for me to be fantasizing about her while she was doing something nice for me. I should be ashamed of myself, honestly. I sighed and scooted even further back, as far as I could without falling off the animal. The distance did nothing for my nerves, though. And with the way I was gripping the basket it would be no surprise if I lost all circulation in my fingers.

Finally we stopped. Only then did I focus on something other than the fine splinters of wood that made up the side of the basket and the deep-colored threads of the fabric that covered it. It would seem we were in a clearing in the forest. A meadow. There were these little flowers dotting the ground, white daisies and yellow ones I didn't know the name of. Tulips maybe? Sure didn't see any around Brooklyn, not the real ones at least unless you count the ones at the floral shops downtown.

I climbed down from the horse and turned around to help Daisy down as well. She was smiling shyly as she slid her hand in mine. Her hand was soft and smaller than mine. Even after her feet hit the ground I held onto her. I had an urge to kiss the back of her knuckles but of course I didn't. That was so. So hammy. Something Peasley would do, for sure.

"Thanks," She told me.

I nodded and let her hand go, only to shove my own into my pockets. She gestured to the area around us.

"I know it's cheesy but I like it here." She admitted.

_Why would she think this place is cheesy? _I couldn't help but relax while I was here. No tense royal couple around arguing and making things awkward. I could do that all on my own anyway.

"It's not cheesy," I told her easily, "It's beautiful."

_You're beautiful, _I wanted to add. But couldn't. It kinda stuck in my throat, no it didn't even make it that far. Just floated around in my head, manifesting itself as an impulse to be ignored, as usual. I sighed and wiped my palms on my jeans. They were finally starting to dry up.

Daisy walked around with the basket in hand and picked a spot in the middle of the shiny green grass to sit. She laid the red fabric down on the ground and sat atop it, then started to unpack the food. Oh yeah. Breakfast. That was why we came out here in the first place.

"Smells good," I told her once I sat down.

She looked up from her task of spreading everything out and eyed me quite seriously. She was sitting rigidly now across from me and I immediately got worried. Did I say something wrong? Why the change in demeanor?

"I'm not sure you're aware," She began in a solemn tone, "But you just gave the food the same compliment that you gave me at the party the other night. What are you implying by that, Luigi?"

I felt my eyes widen in surprise. Surprise that she'd remembered the compliment and of course the general distress one feels upon being confronted. I was starting to reply something when she began to laugh. A joke, she'd made a joke! She was only kidding.

_Lighten up, Luigi, jeez, _I berated myself.

I smiled ruefully as she continued to smile at her little jest and popped a piece of banana into her mouth. I watched as her lips closed over it and flushed. Okay, time to eat. Definitely didn't need to see _that_. I didn't speak as I tried to be polite about shoving the fruit and bagels into my mouth. The strawberries I had sense enough to save for last. They were the best, cold and sweet and fresh. I washed it down with the juice, but not too fast to where I couldn't appreciate the taste of it. Between the two of us, all the food disappeared. I wiped my mouth with a napkin she'd packed and smirked.

"You have a good appetite," I told her.

She blinked up at me before looking embarrassed. By her reaction, I could tell she might've taken that the wrong way though I could hardly see how.

I wanted to console her so I said, "I didn't mean it in a bad way, I mean you're not fat or anything."

Her eyes widened.

"Not that there's anything wrong with being fat." I backtracked, "I just meant that you have a really good appetite, like my brother. Er, not that you're like my brother."

_Damn, how did I get myself into this mess? _Nothing I said ever came out right. I just wanted to pay the girl a compliment but no, my demented brain just had to mess that up and now I've offended her to no end and she probably thinks I'm some kind of rambling weirdo and...she's smiling? She's smiling and not in a forcibly polite way but in a totally, genuinely amused way?

"It's okay, Luigi." She beamed, "I know what you meant."

_Oh, bless her, _I thought. I smiled too, more out of relief.

"I guess I spend so much time around horses I've started to eat like one," she quipped.

"But you're prettier." I told her quickly.

She smirked and quirked a brow, "Prettier than what, Luigi? A horse? That's good to know, I suppose."

I flushed while she laughed.

_I think I'll just shut up now._

She stood and dusted herself off, then reached her hand down to me. At least she was becoming a little less shy around me. Her shyness was endearing, but I wanted her to feel comfortable around me. I'm glad she was starting to.

"Thanks for the meal," I told her.

She shrugged, "Thanks for sharing it with me."

"Do you like to cook?" I asked her.

She tilted her head, "No, not really. I only do it because no one else will. My cousins won't come near a stove, you see, but they expect three square meals a day."

"Yeah, I get it." I nodded.

I did like to cook, though I very rarely got the chance to. I thought about home. My rent was due today, no surprise there. I wondered then if Terry missed me; yes and no, I suppose. I mean, he may not give a damn about me in general but he did need somebody to mooch off of, right? And Tanya. Oh Tanya. The short little red-haired minx is nothing like Daisy. Not that she's an all-out...whore. She only acts that way around me. God, that sounded conceited, even in my own head. I guess I just feel bad for the girl, she's a beautiful girl and she doesn't have to be that way. And that's where my pity ends. She didn't have to act the way she did, she didn't have to stalk and harass me and look the part of a back-alley tart but she did. Nobody was forcing her to, nobody was twisting her arm or shoving her into those clothes, she made that choice every morning herself. So my pity only went so far. Did she really think she had to go to such lengths to get my attention? I might have to be a little more adamant about the way I feel towards her once I get back home. _That won't be for two weeks now,_ I remembered. Ah well. That was fine. It wasn't as if I was in a rush or anything. And thanks to Daisy, I was actually enjoying some of my time here. _  
_

"What's on your mind?" Said young woman asked.

I folded my arms and answered without missing a beat: "You," I said.

She blinked in surprise and stared at me. I, too, met her eyes and we just looked at each other. I couldn't read her. She was too busy trying to do the same to me that all I could see in her light eyes was this curious blankness. She looked away after a few seconds and rubbed her arm with the opposite hand. A nervous gesture.

"I should be getting back. The shop will officially open soon," She stated.

Great, now she wasn't even looking at me. So much for getting her out of her shyness and such. I sighed because of what she said, it meant that now I had to find something else to do. I guess I'd go back to the palace. I didn't want to take my chances in the city without her, I'd begun to think of her as something of a guide now. She had already shown me so much, I feared I'd get lost without her help.

"Yeah, you're right." I told her.

I started to help her pack everything up silently. After that, we both got back on the horse and headed into town. For some reason, the ride back to the marketplace seemed shorter than usual. I chalked it up to maybe I was getting used to this place after all. Daisy was in front again, so she led the horse up to the shop and pulled it to a stop. Again I dismounted before her and helped her down. She seemed just as demurely pleased as she was the first time I'd done so. Just as she was about to lead the animal to the back of the shop, I stopped her by touching her elbow. She stopped and gripped the reins that much tighter. I dug in my pocket and prayed I'd chosen a good place to store the delicate object.

"Um, here you go." I said, holding out my hand towards her.

Her eyes lit up bemusedly once she realized it was a small, fresh daisy I had cradled in my palm. She smiled slowly and took the flower in between her two fingers before twirling it and bringing it to her chest.

I continued by saying, "I figured it would help you remember the day. I mean, I know you work around lots of flowers and stuff but maybe this one...would be special."

I could see from her gentle expression that she liked the gesture. Good. I felt pretty lame when the idea came to my head but I just thought to act on an impulse for once, and luckily it hadn't backfired. She liked it. I huffed out a relieved breath; she liked it.

"Luigi, this is sweet," She said through her wide smile.

I shrugged and put my hands back in my pockets. They were getting sweaty again. She let go of the reins of the horse and stepped over to me. I didn't know what she planned to do so I guess that was why my heart started to race. Was she going for another hug? I stiffened instinctively.

With her fingers still twirling the flower, Daisy gripped her carnation-colored sundress hem in one hand and leaned forward. She didn't hug me like I thought. She came close and pushed herself up onto her toes and pecked her lips against my cheek. I froze.

"I'll see you later on, then?" Daisy entreated softly.

I felt the hotness just flood my face and my cheek still felt all weird from where she'd touched it with her mouth. Weird but not bad weird. Or maybe it was bad, because the things running through my mind and body at the moment were far from saintly. I swallowed hard and blinked. I wanted to regain my coolness but all the blood had rushed to my face, I don't think being all calm and cool again was a plausible option. Very slowly and dazedly I backed up. Then I remembered in my haze that she'd asked me a question. What was it, though? I couldn't remember that much. Oh well, better nod and hope for the best.

"Great!" She exclaimed once I did so.

I swallowed once more and looked away from her. To her cousin. The oldest one was in the shop window, he looked like he'd seen everything and his hooded eyes were even more narrowed in anger. I don't know why he was giving me that dirty look but whatever. I smiled. He quirked a brow, shook his head and turned away. Probably thought I was weird but I didn't care. Daisy had made me smile with that chaste kiss of hers. Sure, it had shocked me, but in a good way. I was really starting to like that girl.

* * *

_My arms are on fire, _a certain princess thought to herself, _but I suppose that's what I get for insisting on getting all these streamers down in one go_.

Thankfully the princess' determination had lead to extreme progress in terms of ballroom cleanup. All of the streamers were down from the high ceiling at last. She had to pull out an incredibly tall ladder to reach them but she had not stopped until her task was finished. Now she could focus on doing other things, like removing the tablecloths and sweeping the trash away that littered the marble floors. Of course there were plenty of mushroom servants bustling about and at first they had tried to dissuade the royal from helping out but Peach was far too compassionate to sit idly by while they worked, even if they insisted it was their pleasure to do so.

_I won't lie, it is tiring work, _she admitted to herself. She climbed down from the pastel-pink ladder and fanned herself. It probably would've been more practical to wear pants instead of the multi-layered dress and petticoats she had on now. Even if she did favor pretty dresses over pants any day, the dress was so hot and heavy now that she'd worked up a sweat. And her gloves were a bit much as well. She made a face as she peeled them off her skin and folded them up into neat little bundles.

"Here you are, Princess," one of the mushrooms piped as he brought her a chair from who knows where.

She smiled gratefully down at the diminutive figure before taking a seat. Another servant came to her with a glass of water, again from who knew where, and she thanked that one as well. She surprised herself by how thirsty she was. She hadn't worked so hard and so long in...well, ever. She didn't know what had moved her to help out today but whatever it was had proved to be a good idea. She liked helping out. Though the help was nice, too.

As her eyes roved over the room, they landed on a familiar blue pair. Mario's. She immediately felt herself stiffen and tense. She hadn't exactly come to terms with him just yet. Last night was hard for her, just as every night was, and she couldn't force herself to smile and play the happy princess as usual.

"Good morning," She said civilly enough.

He smiled when he replied, "Mornin'."

After striding over to her, he placed a quick kiss on her lips before she could have any say on the matter. She felt angered at that, then realized something. _He's my fiance, _she thought, _he can kiss me, he should kiss me. That's what fiances do. So why do I feel so..._

She blinked and began to wring out the fabric of her folded gloves in her lap. Mario watched her fondly and was about to leave the room when she stood abruptly and stopped him by the arm. He halted and regarded her.

"Could you help me, Mario?" She entreated, "With the decorations?"

Mario took a brief look around and shrugged, "Just let the servants take care of it."

"I want to help them, Mario." she stated clearly, then hesitantly added, "you should, too."

He gave a mirthless laugh and said, "Peach, we live in a castle. These servants, it's _their _job to clean this up, not ours."

Peach blinked at his words and pursed her lips. "Mario, if you would just-"

"Look," he interjected wearily, "after what's happened last night, I'm really not up to it, alright?"

Now the princess felt her passions stir. In a flat tone she asked, "So you'll leave me to take them down alone?"

"You don't _have _to do this." He said while rolling his eyes.

"But I _want_ to." She replied tersely.

"And _I_ don't." He shot back.

"Mario-" She began once more.

"Well what do you want me to _say_?" He asked exasperatedly.

_I don't even know anymore, just leave, _Peach wanted to say. She was already fed up with him and his attitude. He just...

Mario sighed, "All this must have gotten you worn out. Why don't you go and rest? Maybe have tea with the ladies of the court like you always do," He suggested offhandedly.

_First of all, _she thought, _I haven't had tea with those ninnies in over a year and I only did it to be polite; I really didn't care for their company in the first place. And another thing, how would you know what pleases me anymore, you haven't bothered to ask or talk to me about it in so long! _

"Anyway, I've got to go train," he continued.

_Is that all you care about? _She wondered bitterly.

"Fine. Go then." She said though, in a contained voice. "Just go."

She clenched her hands into fists at her waist, one over the other, as he walked off. After he was gone, she plopped herself back down in the chair. Now she was exhausted. Emotionally so. She hated to argue with Mario but she just felt like he didn't really know her anymore and he didn't care to know. She didn't feel like he took her feelings into consideration; today was a prime example of his augmented insensitivity. It was always about him, what he had to do and what he wanted and how he felt.

She thought about Bowser.

_He always did have some sick obsession with me, _she mused. _Was it really so sick? Maybe not. His attentions weren't really sick at all. Maybe. When he kissed me last night it felt sort of. _

She blinked and stopped in that line of thinking. She was deeply unsettled. The Dark King was a monster, he was her enemy.

_Not my enemy though, _she reasoned, _Mario's enemy. _

But he was her enemy too, by default.

_But then again, Mario isn't acting like he wants anything to do with me lately so..._

Peach wrung her hands even more and stood resolutely. She picked up her skirts and headed for the stairs. She thought she'd lie down. She must not be feeling well at all if she was contemplating whether or not she liked the Dark King's touch.

* * *

**A/N: And as you can see, the title is becoming relevant, at least in one aspect; one relationship is blooming while the other...not so much. **

**In the next chapter, we'll see what's in store for Peach and her unbidden attraction to a certain Dark King and also what becomes of the budding feelings Luigi and Daisy have for one another. Mario...is in his own little world apparently and poor little Junior; well, you'll see! **

**Please review and stay tuned! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	7. Chapter 7

**So sorry for the long wait, I'm glad you're still reading this; thanks for your positive feedback and such! This chapter is short, but I had to get the ball rolling.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mario or its franchise, it belongs to the people over at Nintendo.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

Upon my arrival back at the castle, I caught the royal couple in another of their petty arguments. This time they were in the ballroom, the two of them. The princess was looking a little worn out and Mario had his back to me. There were servants running around taking down decorations and such so I couldn't quite make out what the engaged pair were arguing about. Whatever it was, I'm sure it didn't concern me. Without drawing attention to myself, I backtracked out of the busy ballroom and decided to take an impromptu tour of the castle. It was a nice way to kill about ten minutes, and when I was sure I'd seen enough for the day I took stock of my surroundings; I was downstairs, in the basement. I never knew the palace had one but here it was, dimly-lit and incredibly spacious. I supposed it was some kind of armory because there was a tall glass case spanning the length of one wall filled with glimmering weapons on display. I lifted a brow. That was definitely surprising. I looked behind me, over my shoulder towards the lighted corridor once more before descending the rest of the stone stairs until I was fully in the basement. Couldn't hurt to look around, right?

I didn't hear a sound as I made my way over to the case. The room was stone all around, but it kind of reminded me of a dojo or something. There were columns connecting the floor to the ceiling and a large, rectangular area of unobstructed floor where one probably practiced with the many weapons lining the case on the far wall. In addition to the ones on display, there were other items hanging from hooks and other metal holsters around the perimeter of the basement. I stepped over to the wall and took down a gilded, broad-bladed sword. It was way heavier than it looked. I went down with its weight as soon as I took it from the wall.

_Oh, man. Why did I do that? _

I knew why already. I was bored and although I probably shouldn't have been touching anything down here, I wanted to test these items out. It had been so long since I used a weapon after all. Back in the days where Mario and I were steadily receiving missions that is. Even then, I'd never gotten my hands on anything of this caliber. These blades were various in size and length and most likely weight, but they all had the similarity of deadliness.

I bent over at the waist and braced myself; I had to heave this mighty sword in my hands upwards and back onto the wall adjacent to the display case.

_On three, _I encouraged myself.

My palms were sweaty but they gripped the hilt tightly as I crouched and then forced my knees to straighten as my arms strained under the force of the thing. I got it up, alright, but the momentum of hoisting it in the air had knocked me off balance. I started to stumble with the sword in my hands and the tip of it was careening right towards the glass display case: not good. I didn't have time or enough strength to stop myself or drag the thing in another direction so I prepared myself for a whole lot of noise and pain.

Neither came.

Just as the display case was about to meet its shattering end, the blade I held was impeded by a slimmer, sleeker one and my shoulder was grasped firmly. I sighed in relief, then looked over at who'd helped me. It was Mario. When had he gotten down here?

"Maybe you should try something a bit lighter, little brother," He advised good-naturedly.

He took the heavy sword from me with ease and handed me the slim one he'd just had. The difference in weight was astounding but I had no more clue on how to use it than I did with the other one. I didn't let my inexperience show on my face as I regarded my brother. He was definitely dressed to train. He wore a plain white shirt and loose black pants with boots. I, on the other hand, still had on my jeans and t-shirt and trainers from earlier.

I watched Mario put the heavy sword away, then pick out another thinner one for himself. He strode over to the other side of the room and I just followed. I didn't know what to do. Did he expect me to join him? Or should I just go back upstairs and leave him to it?

Mario slipped into a smooth stance and my question was answered. He definitely wanted to spar with me. He wore a light grin and I rolled my shoulders. I tried to mimic his stance and did pretty well by his reactive nod of approval.

"Know how to use one of these?" He asked.

_Of course not and you know it, _I thought wryly. But no matter.

"I'll manage." I quipped back.

How hard could it be? If Mario could do it, bumbling butter-finger Mario, then it couldn't be too hard, right? The next five minutes let me know how wrong I was.

Mario used that thing like an extension of his own arm, he was fluid and well-versed in its machination and his swift movements made me regret underestimating him. He didn't say a word as he came at me. His demeanor was friendly and lackadaisical enough, but I still ended up using my own sword as more of a shield then an offensive tool the entire time. I could feel myself retreating but I was stuck on the defensive.

"Shit!" I hissed.

I didn't mean to say it but the pain had caught me by surprise. Mario wasn't as careful as he ought to have been and had swiped my left arm with his blade. It felt like a thin trail of fire instead of blood was coating my forearm. I dropped my sword and backed away hastily, losing my footing in the process. I fell and immediately shot out the hand of my injured arm to catch myself. That didn't end well. I winced and cradled my bleeding arm to my chest. It wasn't much, just a steady, slow stream of sticky liquid coming from a four or five inch slice.

"I didn't know you cursed," was the first thing Mario had to say.

_There's a lot you don't know about me, _I thought to myself as he advanced. I shrugged and struggled to stand. He reached out to me but I shook my head and refused his help. Lord knows my pride was hurt enough as it was.

"I don't make a habit of it," I told him quietly.

_Though it wouldn't matter if I did; I'm twenty-six for crying out loud. _

Mario held his offending sword behind him and looked chagrined, "I'm really sorry about that, I got clumsy."

"It's alright." I insisted.

_At least that hadn't changed, _I thought. Although he was hiding it behind him, I still saw that his thin sword was dripping faintly with my blood. I stared at it interestingly while he called for a servant. Looking at the blood-stained blade was better than looking at the pity in his blue eyes. I didn't want his pity, I didn't want him feeling all bad for poor little weak and meek Luigi.

"He'll take you to the infirmary," Mario explained.

I looked up at him at last and saw that he was referring to the mushroom guy at the top of the stairs. I nodded towards my brother and hurried to the stairs. There was a hot flush burning me up inside. I was more than embarrassed, I was humiliated. I felt like such a weakling compared to Mario just then. I was used to carrying the missions back when we were in our adventure days but things had obviously changed. I don't know what happened to him but he's gotten stronger. It was unsettling and maybe I was a little jealous but I wouldn't dwell on it. In a couple weeks I'd be gone anyway and it wouldn't matter.

The servant led me to the small office with the red cross painted on the door before bowing to me and scampering off. I watched him hurry off in the direction of the ballroom. He was probably eager to help the princess; they all seemed to adore her. I couldn't say I felt the same way, not anymore. I don't know why, but she isn't so special to me anymore. That glamorous haze that blinded me before was gone and now I saw her for who she truly was. Beautiful and kind and elegant, yes, but human. She was no more special than any other woman to me, not like..._Daisy? Has Daisy become my new 'Peach'? _

I froze.

I'd done it. For the first time in years, I'd said her name. Peach. Never before had I been able to say her name, not even in my mind, until just now. What was that about? I'd always just said 'her' or 'the princess' but now I'd said her name, if only in my head, without hesitation or apprehension. I really didn't feel the same way about her. I don't know what to think about that.

"Right this way, Luigi," a stern voice instructed.

I glanced over at who'd spoken. It was a middle-aged woman and she was standing in the office doorway, trying to usher me inside. I followed her and ducked under the low arch. She must be the nurse; her plain white dress was simple but crisply pressed and so was her little white cap. Underneath it her dark brown hair was pulled tightly into a tidy bun and her grey eyes were cold and informal, as were her firmly pursed pale lips. Like her appearance, the small white office was neat and immaculate. There was the usual medical paraphernalia spread about, like a white-sheeted bed against the wall and a sink and cabinets and equipment on the walls and jars with wooden sticks and band-aids. When had the palace gotten modern? Maybe one of Mario's doings.

"Sit on the bed for me please," the woman asked.

I sighed and did as she asked. While I settled down onto the mattress of the twin-sized bed, she closed the door and walked over to the sink. The heels of her white pumps clicking smartly on the stone floor was the only sound I heard. I held my injured arm up to my chest and stared at the woman's back. She was slender to the point of angular boniness, not a curvy sort of slender like Daisy. Though the nurse's hair was the same shade as, wait no Daisy's hair is a bit lighter brunette and it shines, too, instead of just sitting there piled atop one's head all lifeless and dull-colored.

_Why am I comparing a forty-something year old nurse to Daisy anyway? _

I could only wonder. Meanwhile, the nurse turned back around and came towards me with a roll of bandages and a black cloth that was wet and smell strongly of peroxide. The other cloth in her hands was white and was simply wet with water, for it had no smell.

"Hold still," She instructed.

I didn't move a muscle as she stroked the watery towel over my wound to clean up the blood. Once that was through, she pulled a napkin from one of her dress pockets and dried the area. It wasn't bleeding anymore so I guess the cut wasn't as deep as I'd thought.

"This may sting a little," She warned.

I understood what she meant when she used the odorous black cloth to dab at the sliced flesh on my forearm. The wound smarted badly at first, but I'd like to think I hid my pain well. The nurse wrapped my arm in white gauze and taped off the end, near my wrist. She smiled kindly, coldly but kindly, at me and told me I was free to go. With that finished, I thanked her and headed upstairs. I needed some rest after my humiliating defeat.

* * *

"You going somewhere?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"Into town."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Now."

I'm not sure if that could actually pass as conversation but it was as best as could be expected from my brother and I. We'd been close but never had we really talked much. It was always Mario talking _at _me and me just nodding or answering in as brief a reply as I could. I wasn't a talker and he knew that. Or at least he should. So I don't know why he was trying to engage in conversation with me right now. I had just woken from my nap a few minutes ago and realized it was evening; I'd slept longer than I intended. When I got up I had Daisy on my mind, so naturally I decided I would go into the city and visit her. Just as soon as I found another shirt, that is. The one I'd been wearing smelled like sweat and that wouldn't do.

"That one's nice," Mario commented from the open doorway.

I looked from him to the shirt in my hands. It was one I'd had since high school. Black and sort of tight and emblazoned with the white name and emblem of '_The Ramones', _it was not one of my finer shirts. It was dingy but comfortable. It would do. I strode to the bathroom, tore off the shirt I wore and pulled this one on. It fit even tighter than before; not drastically tight like a second skin, but enough so that my chest and stomach outline showed. That was a problem. I was flat as a board. Unlike my brother; the white shirt he had on gave away the muscle and definition he'd gained. Yeah, I was kinda jealous but like I said, it didn't matter. I'd be gone soon anyway.

While I was in the bathroom, I ran a comb through my hair before walking over to the room. From the bed I took my leather jacket and tugged it on, wincing as it bothered my injury, then pushed my feet into my black trainers. I was ready to go, and I would've been on my way but Mario was still standing there in the doorway.

He made a face of regret and said, "Hey look Luigi, I'm really sorry about earlier. Just got clumsy."

"It's alright," I told him.

"Shoulda' been more careful," He chuckled.

I shrugged in response.

"Do you know when you'll be back?" He asked.

"Not really," I answered.

I wish he'd stop talking and leave already. I didn't get in his business and I had hoped he'd do the same for me but apparently not. He was just standing there, asking useless questions like I had nothing better to do. And I did. For once.

"Alright, well uh," He sighed, "I guess I'll see you when you get back."

_I highly doubt it but okay, _I thought to myself. It wasn't as if that would be a problem anyway. I was just grateful he was gone and thus no longer blocking the door, stopping me from going into the city. I hurried downstairs and out the castle doors, down the wide steps and towards the marketplace. I swear the trip there is getting shorter every day. Like usual, it was crowded but I found my way to Daisy's shop soon enough. When I saw her, I got a little jolt of excitement but quickly squashed it down. She, on the other hand, didn't hide her smile.

"Luigi!" She called above the din of the customers.

She waved me over and so I approached her. She and her cousins were closing down, it looked like. The carts were inside the pink brick building and the older of the two was locking the door. Daisy grinned up at me and I figured something else was going on. No way she was that excited just to see me.

"Hey," I greeted her coolly.

She beamed and said quietly, "Hi."

Her shyness was back but not as strongly. It only muted her excitement by a notch or two. She still played the the cuff of her corduroy jacket, though. I could see she wore an old beige cotton blouse and brown pants. She must have changed clothes. Too bad, that sundress was pretty on her.

"One of our horses is having giving birth," She told me, "That's why we're closing early tonight."

I smiled up until the 'giving birth' part. I just imagined how that would look and made a face. Pardon me if I could barely stomach watching a human baby being born in fourth year biology back in school, much less that of another species. It just made me a little sick inside. Daisy laughed and the expression on my face melted away.

"Would you like to come with us?" She asked, then added teasingly, "Or is it too gross for you?"

I would have liked to be as far away as possible from the aforementioned scene, but I was torn. I did want to see Daisy. It was settled. I would go. I mean, it was only an animal giving birth, totally natural right? How bad could it be? Plus I haven't eaten since this morning so the chances of me tossing it up were pretty low.

"It's cool. I'll come," I told her.

She blinked and exclaimed happily, "Great! Let's go then."

* * *

I thought that if I didn't look at it I'd be fine. That if I just kept my mind on something else while everything just played out, I'd be fine. And that it would be less gross than I pictured, because sometimes I had a habit of imagining things to be ten times worse than they actually turn out to be. As the evening progressed, though, I found I was wrong.

And I was far from fine.

Luckily, the process was a reasonably swift one and Daisy knew what she was doing. It wasn't so bad after the actual foal was out of its mother and all. She was down on her knees, cleaning off the baby and dipping a cloth with some iodine solution onto its navel. Very gently, she helped it to latch onto its mother and nurse. She was good at this, Daisy was, so I figured she'd done it before.

For the most part, I stood a distance away from the others and tried not to get sick or anything. I was sweating and breathing funny and if it weren't for my intense desire not to embarrass myself in front of this girl yet again, I'd have probably failed. But I kept it together. Deep breathing and the cool breeze that blew in every now and again helped keep me together. Now that everything was over, I was losing the flushed feeling inside. I ran a shaky hand through my hair and willed my stomach to stop roiling. I had to lean against the doorway of the stables to stay steady. The others, Daisy and her cousins, were near the horse getting down and dirty and handling business. Made me feel like a pansy. I took one more breath and calmed my nerves, then approached her.

Daisy got up from her knees as I got closer and brushed her hands against her pants. She was glowing with excitement and her light eyes were glittering. There was a healthy bit of color in her cheeks and a smile budding at the corner of her mouth.

"That was fun, right?" She asked.

I could only smile weakly. It was obvious she meant it, though, she really did seem to enjoy what she'd done. She must really love animals, or horses. It didn't look like this was a chore for her.

"Have you eaten dinner yet?" she inquired.

"Oh you would've known; it would've been on the ground by now," I quipped wryly.

She tilted her head, "You're squeamish?"

"Kind of." I admitted.

_Kind of? Kind of pathetically so. _

"Ah," She remarked. "Well I hope this didn't scar you too bad."

"Not at all," I lied.

"So you didn't eat?" She asked.

I shook my head and her smile returned.

"Oh. Well did you wanna stay over for dinner?" She invited.

I was about to say yes because food sounded heavenly at the moment. I was starving and the incident with the horses wasn't so scarring as to stave off my appetite for too long. But then my eyes roved over to her cousins and the oldest one appeared to by shooting me another of his dirty looks. I hesitated. This kid really had a problem with me. I was starting to think it had something to do with Daisy and the fact that I liked her. _  
_

_I like her? Since when?_ Don't know, but it wasn't a lie; I did like her.

"Don't mind them," She said once she saw where my gaze lay, "They're practically my little brothers, they have no say." she grinned.

The two of them protested at that, but she didn't revoke her words. She stepped over to them and grabbed them both by the arms playfully.

"I never really introduced you to them did I?" She said. "This is Dimitri and this is his brother, Daniel."

Dimitri was the younger one, he stuck out his hand towards me and I shook it. His brother, surprisingly, did the same. The dirty look was replaced by blankness.

"We're not little, by the way," Dimitri told me, "I'm thirteen and Danny's fifteen."

I quirked a brow and his older brother gave him a pointed stare. I hope he knows that thirteen and fifteen aren't really grown by any standard. But I didn't point this out. I knew what it must feel like to be thought of as the little brother. Mario still saw me that way and I was damn-near going on thirty in a few years.

"I just call them Meech and Danny," Daisy supplied.

I nodded and put my hands in my pockets. Danny, as she'd called him, still looked very wary of him. Not hostile, but his blank mask let on too much, unlike my own. He walked some paces behind me and that was fine. I just followed Daisy as she led us past the stables that was nestled in the woods behind the shop. Daisy switched as she walked, I couldn't help but notice. If I'd kept my eyes above her head I wouldn't have caught the subtle sway of her hips but as it was I was caught staring at her lower body as she moved through the dark city soundlessly. She turned round and met my eyes and I looked guiltily away.

"Now Luigi you're pretty clean," She said once we got to her house, "But you boys need to go wash up."

They didn't say anything but walked around the side of the house where a spigot was situated and began washing their hands. Daisy turned to me.

"I need to shower," She confessed, "You can come inside. It won't take me long."

I then trailed behind her into the house with the boys in tow and watched her make her way down the short hall. She entered one room, emerged from it with a bundle of clothes and strode into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. I was about to sit down on the couch when she popped her head back out and stepped back into the hall.

"Meech and Danny, be nice, okay?" She called before closing the door again.

Once she turned on the taps I sat down. The couch was inviting and I had been standing for so long that a seat felt nice. The two boys weren't as dirty as Daisy, most of the grime had been on their hands and shoes and it didn't look like they were much concerned with the latter. Daisy had asked them to be nice and though the oldest, Danny, looked begrudging about it, he complied along with his brother in the form of offering me something to drink. I shook my head in declination. It spoke volumes about Daisy if her cousins obeyed her like that. She was very matronly towards them, I noticed. She would definitely make a good mother later on. Quite unbidden, the image of the flushed, smiling girl standing before me with a bright, snug yellow sundress stretched over her petite, very pregnant frame flashed in my mind. Her cream-colored arms were around her tight swollen stomach and in my mind's imagining it was a child of mine she carried.

"The _hell_?" I whispered to myself in bewilderment.

Absolutely mortified at my demented brain and its obscure line of thinking, I blinked rapidly and tried to shove the image away. A few times I brushed my palms against my jeans and looked down at my feet. I was nervous all over again. Daisy was in the other room, just down the hall, in the shower. The shower. I could hear the water running, hitting her body. Her curvy body.

_What the hell is wrong with me? _

Of all the things I shouldn't be thinking about. Daisy was a sweet girl, she invited me to come and eat with her and her family and here I was fantasizing about her in the shower. It was all so wrong.

"Are you alright?" One of the boys asked.

I swallowed and looked over at them. The oldest had spoken, I could tell because he was the one staring expectantly at me. I blinked again and cleared my throat.

"Yeah." I lied.

He let his inquisitive brow drop and crossed his arms. Like his younger brother, Danny had that wild look to his unruly dark hair but his hooded eyes were harder than Dimitri's. He lifted his chin and blinked slowly.

"Are you interested in my cousin?" He asked evenly.

_Kid you have no idea, _I thought to myself. I schooled my face into a facade of coolness and tried to get a grip on my racing heart.

"We're just friends is all," I replied flatly.

The boy seemed assuaged as he said, "Good. You should keep it that way."

Inside I scoffed as my nervousness melted away. This kid may put on a tough front but I knew people. I knew that his hostility was probably a cover for his anxiety towards the relationship between Daisy and I. She was his family, she told me she raised him and his brother since they were younger and so it was understandable that he was worried about losing her to someone outside of their small family or seeing her hurt by me. I was a threat to the strong bond the three of them had, or so I think he thought. I wish I could set him at ease, let him know that I would never hurt a woman physically or emotionally.

That was more easily said than done when there was a certain little minx that tried my patience to the point of me wanting to put my hands on her..._an__d not in the way that she wanted, _I thought.

Anyway, I wish I had the guts to tell this boy that I wasn't here to get in between her and her cousins or her job or any other aspect of her life. Or her body, for that matter. She was a decent girl and I would never compromise her. I was curious as to why my mind was flipping out and being all perverted as of late, but mostly I just wanted it to stop. Stop being like that. It was weird.

* * *

By the time Daisy finished cooking dinner I was famished. It hadn't taken long, but staving off my hunger while at the same time keeping my thoughts pure was exhausting and I couldn't wait to get some food in me. The spread smelled almost as good as it looked. There were four seats at the table conveniently so I placed myself in one and waited for Daisy to get to her own chair. She had insisted on serving everybody and was moving quickly, taking plates of food and setting them down in front of us.

"You sure you don't want help?" I asked her.

She shook her head and declined just like she had the first time I'd asked. I didn't feel comfortable being waited on, though. It made me itch to just get up and do something, like bring those glasses of drink to the table. I hated to just sit here. The youngest cousin, Meech, nudged me from his seat adjacent to me.

"She always does this," He remarked knowingly.

That made me feel a bit better but not by much. It couldn't be helped though. I sat there while she finally got settled in her chair and began to eat. She was neat but not exactly prim in the way that she ate. Her bites were sort of large but not sloppy, she closed her mouth fully over her fork before sliding it back out and chewing her food with her pink lips shut tight. _I could watch her eat all night_.

I frowned. There it goes again, my brain was acting all weird. It was definitely time to eat.

"Can I have some more?" Meech asked.

Like me, he'd cleaned his plate and was looking for more. Danny hadn't finished yet, he was taking his time and was doing more staring blankly off to the side than eating. Twice Daisy had asked him what was the matter but the first time he claimed he was fine. To be honest I couldn't remember if he'd answered her or not the second time, I was too busy wolfing down my food. It was shame I inhaled it so fast, it was delicious and I wish I would have savored it. The well-seasoned, smoky grilled fish and fresh peas looked impressive, as did the warm baked bread and sweet iced tea I washed my meal down with. I ate it all much too fast.

"Save it for tomorrow, Meech," Daisy advised gently, then in the same breath asked, "Do you want anymore Luigi?"

Meech immediately protested with, "How come he gets more, Daisy?"

"Because he's our guest." She stated firmly.

The boy quieted and Daisy once more asked me, "Would you like some more?"

I blinked and looked down at my empty plate. I did want more, I didn't eat so fast that I couldn't tell the food was phenomenal and wholly agreed with my stomach. A second plate sounded divine. But if she was denying her own cousin I could only see one reason why, and that was because meals were hard to come by. If that was the case, then I wouldn't eat up all their food, I could just eat at the palace tonight, visit the kitchens and get something extra. I made up my mind; for the umpteenth time, my politeness won out.

"No, I'm good." I told her.

She tilted her head and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah. It was great, though, really great." I assured her.

She blushed at my words and smiled, "Oh, okay. I'm glad you liked it."

She looked pleased so I relaxed. Even smiled at her. She liked that even more.

"I went all out to celebrate the new foal," she explained, "so I'm glad you came by to share it with us."

I nodded.

As she stood, I did too and helped her clear the empty dishes from the table. Daisy dismissed her cousins and began to run some water in the sink. Did everyone have indoor plumbing now? What with Mario in the kingdom I wouldn't be surprised. While she put a bar of white soap under the stream of water I came up beside her.

"I couldn't help before dinner," I started quietly, "At least let me dry the dishes."

Daisy looked from the sudsy sink up at me and stared before blushing once more and nodding. Her 'okay' came out softly and she moved over to the other side of the kitchen. From a cabinet she pulled down two towels; one she unfolded onto the counter and the other she handed to me.

"Just, um, leave them on the counter," She told me.

I nodded and after that we fell into a rhythm of work. She scoured the plates and silverware silently while I dried them and laid them carefully onto the stone countertop. Soon she had something to say. With her hands buried in the dishwater she addressed me.

"I'm sorry about my cousins if they offended you," She stated, "They're really protective of me."

I already knew that much but I let her say her piece. She pulled her hands out of the water and began to fidget.

"They're orphans, you know," She continued, "I'm all they have left in this world and we're really very close."

That was what I figured. It was good to see that my skill of reading into people had not weakened over time, but instead it had grown; I was right on the money. I had to set her at ease, though.

"Yeah," Was my oh-so-sympathetic response.

_Why can't I ever say what's on my mind around her? _

It was getting annoying. I had to work up the nerve one day and just express myself. But not today I guess.

Daisy beamed up at me and said, "Thank you Luigi, for understanding."

She and I locked eyes and stared at each other. Maybe my mouth wouldn't cooperate with my brain, but perhaps my eyes would. I channeled as much information as I could into my ocular organs and hoped she'd see just how much I understood and accepted her. I wanted her to see that she didn't have to apologize or explain anything to me. I also wanted her to see how much I'd come to like her and truly enjoy being around her. Maybe I was hoping for too much, because she just gazed at me with an unreadable, blank look in her light brown eyes. I took a chance and laid my hand over her nervous, wet ones and tried not to startle her. I must have, because she pulled them back quickly and looked away.

_Damn_.

"Well I better get back to the palace," I told her over the disappointment.

Daisy blinked and then turned back to me with a weak smile in place. What was the matter? Did I scare her that bad? She looked sad. Why on earth was that? Did I do something?

"Do you want me to walk you there?" She offered with that smile.

I shrugged, "I don't know. Looks like you've got a curfew with those boys."

She laughed genuinely and I felt a bit of relief. Out of nowhere she hugged me and immediately I hugged her back. I wouldn't let the chance pass again. _Maybe I responded a little too quickly_, I thought in hindsight, _I hope she doesn't think I'm trying to be fresh or anything_.

"So I'll see you around?" She asked hesitantly.

I nodded, "Definitely."

I walked from the kitchen to the door backwards and only after I'd assaulted a chair did I realize that wasn't a good idea. Daisy laughed softly at my blunder and I flushed. I turned around so she didn't see, but looked over my shoulder to see her smile.

"Goodnight," She called when I was at the door.

I tossed her another look back and said quietly, "Night."

* * *

**A/N: There's that chapter, things are getting serious between Luigi and Daisy for sure! As for Mario and Peach, well, I wouldn't write them off just yet. However, little Peachy might have to find out the hard way that there's a reason they call ole Bowser the Dark King...**

**Anyway, you know what to do; keep those reviews coming! I love to hear what you think! You've already read the chapter, might as well go ahead and leave your opinion, right? I hope you do! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	8. Chapter 8

**Late as hell but it's here so I hope you guys enjoy! I worked hard on it, and I know it's still going slow but it's gonna' pick up very soon. Promise.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its characters/themes/settings.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight **

* * *

This morning I almost had a heart attack. I'm sure of it. As my eyes flew open my heart was beating a mile a minute and I could hear the remains of a scream ringing in my ears. I didn't know if it was the aftermath of a bad dream or what but I had to nearly fight to catch my breath and my body was slightly shaking.

"_Ay, ay, ay," _I sighed as I rubbed my hands over my face.

When I rolled onto my sides I could see from the light in the window that it was early morning, maybe eight or nine. The earliest I've gotten up since I've been here. I yawned. _No need to break the cycle; a little more rest wouldn't kill me, _I thought tiredly. But then I heard shouts, actual shouts coming from downstairs, and I frowned. I couldn't make out what was being said but it sounded pretty bad. I decided to investigate.

After I'd wrestled out of the bed sheets I stalked over to the closet and rummaged through my booksack for some clothes. I dressed quickly and stopped in the bathroom to brush my teeth and drag a comb through my hair. The shouting persisted, so I put a move on. I hurried from the room and raced barefoot downstairs.

It didn't take me long to find them, their voices were raised to the point of yelling and led me straight to the dining hall. Mario had his back to me but I could hear the exasperation in his tone and as for Peach, well, she didn't look so good. I stopped in the doorway of the hall and observed them.

They were both up and dressed for the day, and though there was food on the table behind them it looked untouched. Again the princess was decked out in a lavish ensemble of white and pink silk, satin, and lace. Her hair was stunning as per usual but that was where the commonalities stopped. For one thing, there were tears running down her face, stemming from her reddened eyes and covering her equally crimson cheeks. Her fists, wrapped in white gloves, were clenching the sides of her dress tightly and I could detect a quiver in her shoulders from where I stood. She was doing most of the talking.

Mario wore his uniform, the red and blue one, with his black boots and neat hair. Every now and then he'd mess it up as he ran a hand through it. My brother may have been on the defensive against the princess's tirade, but I heard an underlying snideness in his tone that I didn't appreciate. Pretty soon they both noticed me and stopped abruptly.

Peach addressed me first. She picked up her skirts and came towards me. The closer she got, the more I could see how haggard she seemed. Her voice was shaky as she called to me on her way out of the dining hall.

"I'm so sorry, Luigi, but you'll have to excuse me this morning." She said before exiting.

I turned to Mario with a frown. He finally faced me and I saw that his face was colored as well. I gave him a few seconds to compose himself. While he did that I backed up and shoved my hands in my pockets. This was definitely the worst I'd seen them go at it.

"I don't even know what that was about," Mario began wearily.

I stared at the door Peach had stormed through about a minute ago, then I turned to my brother. Surely he wasn't serious.

"What did you do to her?" I asked him carefully.

He shrugged, "I don't know. I really don't. It started out as a stupid argument over muffins and then it just escalated."

I nodded as if I understood and was silent still.

Mario rubbed both hands over his face yet again and sighed. "Well little brother I hate to say it but you're on your own for today."

Inside I scoffed but smiled at him sympathetically anyway. He accepted my empathy and went on his way to some other part of the castle.

_As if it hasn't been like that from day one, _I thought.

I had no problem being on my own, though. It was good for me. Besides, I wasn't totally alone anymore. I could go and see Daisy today. I smiled; that sounded like a really good idea. I could go see what she was up to. With that in mind, I hurried back upstairs to finish getting dressed.

* * *

So apparently Daisy must be up to more than I thought because neither she nor her cousins were at their shop today. I was on my way to her house at the moment, walking from the marketplace. It didn't take me long. I was surprised I'd made it in one straight shot. When I got to her home, I knocked at the door and waited for her to answer.

She didn't.

No one did, so after a couple of minute of waiting, I gave up and started to leave the neighborhood. Where could she be? If she wasn't in the shop and she wasn't at home, where was she? Maybe she was at home, and was just sleeping. Perhaps I didn't wait long enough. I shoved my hands in my pockets and stared at the dirt ground as I walked.

Could it be that she was at home? Oh well. I doubt it. Something tells me she would've answered. So that still begged the question of where she actually was then. Suddenly I remembered there was one place I had forgotten to check: the stables. Of course I'd neglected to look there, I only visited it once. I nearly forgot about it, but now that it was brought to mind I made my way there. I walked all the way back to the market and relished in the way the air around me was a nice nippy kind of cold. When I reached the empty shop again, I just treaded in between it and the brick building next to it until I'd gotten to the area behind it. I kept going behind the market until the wooden stables came into view.

First I saw her cousins, Danny and Meech. They both had a bucket filled with water they were carrying past me into the large double doors. The younger one stopped to wave at me, nearly dropping his pail in the process. Danny, the oldest, didn't wave but he did give me an open, inquisitive look as he guided his brother into the corral area. I looked away from them and saw that Daisy was here as well.

She was just behind the doorway tending to one of the horses. She had the reins of the big brown steed gathered in her hands and was leading it outside. When she caught sight of me she stopped and broke out in a huge grin before tying the horse on the handle of the door and coming over. I couldn't help but smile as well.

She was beautiful. Not because of the clothes, they were plain enough. Just a thin white cotton shirt, light brown open jacket, and black corduroy pants. The boots she wore were black, but they weren't the dull ones she wore at the ball, these were more of a heavy duty kind. Like combat boots without the steel. Her hair was down today, so shiny and wavy and long. It was pretty. She was pretty. I mean beautiful.

"Luigi, hi!" She greeted, "I didn't expect to see you here."

I flushed, "Oh uh, well you weren't at the shop or at your house so I figured you might be here."

_That...didn't sound right. I wanted to convey my desire to see her but I sounded like a stalker, at least to my own ears. I hope she doesn't think I'm some kind of creep, popping up uninvited. _

"Sorry for showing up unannounced," I apologized just in case.

She shook her head and said, "No, it's good you came when you did, we're about to make a delivery for an old family friend."

"Oh," I replied.

Daisy brushed her hands against her thighs and nodded. "Yeah, I packed food and everything since it's going to be a long trip. After we finish a few last minute chores, we'll be leaving."

I buried my hands in my pockets even deeper and nodded. I didn't know what else to do. I could feel a silence creeping up.

_At least she doesn't think I'm a creeper. _

"Do you wanna' come with us?" She inquired after a pause.

I lifted a brow. Did I want to? Hm, it would be something to do. Plus I'd be spending time with her which was always nice. And as an added bonus there was food involved.

"If it's not too much trouble," I conceded.

She grinned, "Of course not!"

"Do you need any help with anything?" I asked her politely.

Daisy looked from me to her relatives and so did I. Danny had a large basket in his hands and made a quick show of securing it on the back of one the two horses he'd led out into the open. His younger brother held a pale box in his hands, I recalled it as being the one for picnics. He, too, started tying it down onto the other horse. Daisy smiled at them fondly.

"I think they've got everything covered," She observed.

I followed her over to the horse she tied and watched as she lithely climbed onto it. She settled herself and looked down at me.

"Come on up," She encouraged.

I smiled a bit but was nervous. With a quick glance over my shoulder I saw that the two boys were looking at me expectantly. I stamped down my anxiety and climbed up behind her. It was temptation that had made me hesitate. I wanted so badly to reach out in front of me and place my hands onto her hips. Just to see how they felt. I bet her body was smooth under that cotton shirt.

_Get a hold of yourself man _

Yeah, it was wrong to think like that. Daisy is a good girl. I glanced back down at her curvy waist; _A very good girl, _I thought. I shut my eyes and put some more distance in between us. For the duration of the next hour and a half, I focused solely on maintaining that distance and trying to stay on. Only when the horse slowed to a traipse did I begin to truly relax.

"It's almost noon," Daisy stated, "We can stop for now and eat."

She brought the horse to a stop and I looked around. If we had been riding for almost two hours and there was nothing but flat grasslands all around, it could only mean one thing: we were in Bean Kingdom. It was nearly the same as I remembered, except for the grass was brownish gold now instead of bright green. I chalked that up to the amount of curses that had plagued the country. Other than that, though, the land remained unchanged. Same old treeless, flower-ful, clear-skied Bean Kingdom I remembered from years ago. It really was a nice place. Just sort of plain. That was alright, though, as long as Peasley was still around. He had enough pomp and flashiness about him to make up for the kingdom's quaint atmosphere.

Daisy had already gotten down from the horse and had started unpacking while I was here reminiscing. I went over to help her. Both her cousins started dealing with the horses quietly.

"This is a good spot, right?" Daisy asked.

I nodded absently. It was so silent out here. Not a bad, eerie silence though. It was peaceful. A stark contrast to the halls of the palace. I took a seat at one end of the blanket Daisy had spread and watched her settle down next to me. Her cousins soon joined us and we started to eat. Daisy had packed sandwiches in that box, those and pieces of fruit and chilled juice. It didn't take long for us to finish it off. I wondered how she had enough, though. Did she figure I would come along? No, that's crazy. She probably just happened to pack extra food. Either way, I was grateful, for the food and the company.

"We're going for a walk." Danny stated.

He had finished his food first and now stood to dust himself off. He gave his brother a meaningful glance and the younger sibling stood as well. They both gave me a nod and started off in a random direction. Daisy stared after them and shrugged.

"Okay. Just don't go far," She called out to them.

A walk actually sounded good right now. Riding had given me some kind of cramp and it'd be nice to stretch my legs. I rolled my shoulders and started helping Daisy clean up. We worked efficiently and soon had everything packed up. I handed the basket to Daisy and she secured it back onto the horse. With nothing else to do, I pushed my hands back into my pockets.

"Do you, um, you wanna' go for a walk too?" I asked her.

She turned from the horse and nodded at me, "Yeah that would be nice."

So that's how we fell into step, again going in no particular direction. Just walking. Daisy was about a head shorter than me so as we traversed the grassy plains she kept looking up at me.

"The food was good." I told her.

She smiled, "Thank you. And thank you for coming. I know you probably have other things you could be doing."

_...Right, she thinks I actually have a life. Laughable almost, if it weren't so sad. _

"Being here with you is better than being at the palace," I admitted, "by a long shot."

Daisy looked surprised as she asked, "Why is that?"

_For one you're beautiful, funny, sweet, and kind. _

That's what I should've said. But no, I had to go and spoil the good mood between us and tell her the truth. The other truth, that is.

"Mario and the princess have been arguing almost every day since I've been here." I told her.

She seemed hurt by the news. Her light eyes dimmed and there was a crease between her furrowed brows. She looked so confused. I suppose I know why; hearing that there was trouble in paradise was disconcerting, I could imagine. Mario and Peach seemed to be the perfect couple, especially after that lovely show they put on at the engagement party. But I guess they have to keep up that image for appearances sake, and of course to keep the people inspired and hopeful. If the populace knew that the royal couple were facing dissension, they might start to lose faith in them and lost faith in the monarchy never proved to be a good thing.

_Should've just told her she was beautiful. That would've made her smile for sure. _

"That's terrible," Daisy lamented. "It's got to be the saddest thing I've ever heard. I hope they can work it out."

"Yeah." I remarked dully.

We walked a few steps more but like I said, the mood was ruined. I wish I would've kept that news to myself. First Daisy started to fidget with her fingers, a sure sign of her distress. Then she stopped altogether and turned to me. I could see in her expression alone what she was about to say.

"We should get back now," She predictably suggested, "We still have a little way to go to make the delivery."

"Yeah," I said again.

I think that's the only thing my brain could think up on its own to say seeing as my mind was on autopilot while I wallowed in disappointment; _why did I have to bring that up? _

* * *

Daisy wasn't kidding when she said this trip would take a while. It was about five or six in the evening when we finally made it back to Mushroom Kingdom. Oh well, I enjoyed the trip. I liked being around her. She had a soothing presence about her and I was somebody who thinks a lot, so it was nice to spend the day relaxing. She made it easy to be comfortable around her. She was nice. She smelled nice too. Even after our day of traveling, she still smelled of hay and of apples.

_Wonder if her hair smells the same..._

It certainly was a thought. Her hair was sleek and long, only a matter of inches away from where I was seated behind her on the horse that was ambling through the forest. I leaned forward a bit. I was curious. What could it hurt to see how her hair smelled?

I looked over both my shoulders; her cousins weren't paying attention, they were in front of us, not behind anymore. Nobody was looking. I leaned forward some more and inhaled. Her hair smelled good, neutral. Clean. Like soap and fresh water. Like she'd just gotten out the bath. I colored.

_I've gotta choose my words more wisely _

The horse stopped then and before I could pull back Daisy turned around. It was jarring to suddenly be face to face with her. She was literally _right there_. She seemed just as surprised as I was.

_Move back, stupid! Get out of her face! _

I couldn't move though. I was frozen in place. What's worse was my mouth was open. _God I probably look like a fool. If she didn't think I was weird before, _I thought.

Daisy blinked and stared as I did at her. She really did have amazing brown eyes, all golden and pretty. She smiled teasingly all of a sudden and I tensed.

"Was there something you needed, Luigi?" She asked coyly.

I floundered for an answer and she shook her head. Like a piece of chocolate on the tongue, her face melted into an open grin and from her lips she let out a genuine laugh at my expense. I wasn't bothered or embarrassed, if anything I was glad she found my blunder amusing. I really liked that laugh she had.

She sobered and slid down from the horse saying, "I'm just kidding Luigi."

"Yeah," I smiled.

I didn't realize we'd already made it to the stables. I climbed down and let Danny take the horse from me. He and his brother led the steeds into their stalls. I noticed the younger brother was shivering a bit. That was odd. Back to Daisy I turned and she grinned at me again. Hopefully this time.

"It's gotten kind of late," She began, "If you want, you could come over and have dinner with us."

I rose a brow at that. _She's inviting me to dinner again? I swear this girl is too good to be true. _Though my mind was already made up, I was silent for too long. Daisy began to falter.

"If you don't want to I understand," She claimed honestly, "I know I already took up a lot of your time already."

"Then you can take some more," I told her easily.

She smiled brilliantly, "Great! Well, come on let's go."

* * *

Slowly and silent as a ghost the princess made her way through the darkened halls of the palace. In just her bare feet and pastel nightgown she walked nervously in search of her fiance. She knew he was still here, she had that sense about her. She felt him almost, when he was here and when he was gone, it felt two very different ways. Now she knew he was in the palace but she just didn't know where in the palace he was. She was apprehensive of course because she knew he'd been avoiding her all day.

_After how I went off on him this morning, I don't blame him, _Peach thought in dismay. _It wasn't my intention to hurt him, I just let all these things fester inside and now it keeps coming out uncontrollably. I hate yelling at him but once we get started, there's no stopping. If it weren't for Luigi..._

She pursed her lips and shut her eyes as her feet carried her on. She wasn't used to walking barefoot, not even within the pristine white-walled castle, but she'd just worked up the nerve and in the interval of time it took to put on shoes, that nerve could've been cast right back down. She had taken a bath earlier and that had helped. She was able to wash away the sticky tear stains from her face, the itchiness from her sore eyes, the puffy redness from her cheeks. But now she felt numb. Just numb.

_Lights on in the kitchens, _She thought, _he must be in here. _

Peach took a deep breath and stood outside the doorway to the luminated room. She tried to gather her bearings before confronting Mario. The reason she'd sought him out was not to discuss their earlier disagreement, it was because they'd gotten a letter from King Bowser.

_As if I didn't have enough things to worry about, _Peach groaned, _Now he's been thrown into the mix. No, he's added himself. He's up to something, and I need to find out what. I know it involves me in some way; why else would he have said what he said the other night? _

With that she gripped the opened envelope in one hand and a handful of her nightgown's satiny fabric in the other and stepped into the kitchen.

Mario didn't even look up.

He sat at the small table in the corner, the wooden chair and rounded table seeming dwarfed in comparison to his size. It wasn't that he was especially large, it was just that the dinette set was made for the kitchen staff for when they needed a break. Incidentally, they all happened to be under the four-foot height range.

Mario sat there despite the obvious discomfort he must've been suffering. His figure was hunched over a heaping plate of spaghetti and there was a fork stabbed into the mess, coiled around some doughy tendrils but immobile for the moment. From the pile of dirty dishes in the sink, Peach knew he had to have made the meal himself. Another pang of guilt shot through her. She now knew he must really be hurting if he resorted to this method of therapy. Eating away his pain was an old habit she thought he'd gotten over but clearly not. It was just like him to drown his sorrows in noodles and meatballs and sauce.

_But who am I to judge? _She thought. _If I hadn't hurt him with the words I'd said he wouldn't have had to resort to this. _

"I thought I'd find you here," She started in a wispy voice.

He merely grunted, keeping his dark blue eyes focused on the warm meal in front of him. Peach accepted his not rising to the friendly bait with one of his good-natured, _you know me'_s. She let the silence linger until Mario began to eat. Then she sighed and decided to get this over with.

"A letter came this morning," She stated.

No response, save for his quiet slurping and munching.

"An invitation," Peach added.

Still nothing from Mario's end. She took a breath and continued.

"Bowser Junior is turning five years old in a few days. There's to be a feast in his honor. We've been asked to join him in his...special day. This is all to take place in-"

"No." Mario grunted.

She frowned at being so rudely cut off but swallowed her indignance and gripped the letter in both hands now.

"No?" She replied questioningly.

Mario sat up but still didn't turn her way, "No. We're not going."

She had to take a moment not to automatically reproach him for his shortness, as was her usual way.

In a controlled voice she stated, "I think it would be good to use this opportunity to establish peace with King Bowser so as to prevent another of those terrible wars from happening."

_That's a valid point, _She reasoned, _even if that's not totally the reason why I would like to attend the event. Mario doesn't need to know about my inquiries regarding the Dark King, though. If he can have his secrets, I think I'm allowed a few of my own. _

Across from her Mario chuckled bitterly, "It's gonna take more than a birthday party to reconcile what's happened between the bastard and me."

"I wish you wouldn't talk that way," Peach chided before she could stop herself.

Mario shrugged, "And I wish you'd let this matter drop. We're not going. "

"You could at least, though." Peach insisted.

"No. And that's final." he stated in a hardened voice.

Peach flinched at his tone and stood there, hesitant. On the one hand, she wanted to capitulate. She did hate to argue with him. And he seemed so set in his decision. But another part of her wanted to stand firm in her own choice, to keep arguing until she got her way. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin a bit.

"Well I'm going." She stated boldly.

Now Mario turned to look at her as if unbelieving of her attitude. He was used to her resigning after so long. Particularly when he used that tone of finality. But here she was, opposing him stalwartly. He was taken aback. Then he was annoyed.

"I don't think so," He remarked at last. "It could be a set-up, a pretense. He could be up to something."

_That's exactly what I think, _she thought adamantly. But that didn't deter her. In fact it bolstered her resolve.

Peach crossed her arms in an uncharacteristic show of defiance and said, "Well then you must come along because I'm going to that party _with_ or _without_ you."

And after issuing her ultimatum she turned on her heels, not even waiting for a response. As she strode down the hall she couldn't keep a shy smile from her lips. She felt as if she had won something. She had rarely stood up for herself in such a way before. It was invigorating.

_I just hope this isn't a bad idea, _She thought worriedly.

Meanwhile Mario couldn't believe what had just gone down. He couldn't for the life of him figure out why his fiance was so keen on going to that party. It wasn't as if it would help matters, politically or otherwise. Bowser would be the same old bastard either way. He was most likely plotting something and using the birthday as a cover-up. That was the most plausible thing.

Mario rolled his eyes and took a bite out of his toasted garlic bread. _Whatever, _he thought, _I'll humor my girl, go to this party. Maybe it'll make her happy. Maybe it's what we both need, some time away from the palace and the kingdom. All I know is, if he tries to pull anything he'll be sorry. _

* * *

It was late when I started heading from Daisy's place back to the palace but that was okay. I had a great time with her. She cooked an excellent meal and even invited me to come swimming with her and her relatives tomorrow afternoon. I think her younger cousin Meech might be warming up to me. The other one not so much. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

I tightened my jacket around me as I passed through the empty marketplace. Everyone had gone home for the day. Windows were closed tight, doors were locked shut and all the carts had been covered or brought in. It was a lovely night. The stars were out and things were going right for me for once. I have to say, I'm kind of nervous. About going swimming tomorrow, I mean. It's not the event that worries me, I know how to swim and it'll be something fun to do while I'm here, and of course I'll be with Daisy again. It's just the whole thing about swimming; you can't do it fully dressed. I don't know if I can handle seeing Daisy in something so revealing as a bathing suit, even a one piece.

_Maybe they have different clothes over here. _

I hope so. Maybe she'll opt for wearing a shirt and pants.

_Not likely_.

Whatever. I'll deal with this tomorrow. Right now, I'm just glad I got lucky enough to have met her. She's great. She's beautiful and generous and talented and. I froze.

Right there on the steps of the castle I had an epiphany: I think I'm falling in love with this girl. Am I? Um, I don't know. Maybe. It's too soon to tell, I think. I do like her. That's enough for now.

* * *

**A/N: That concludes this chapter, stay tuned for more! Please, if it's not too much to ask, leave me a review either telling me what you think or what you like about the story or what I could be doing better or anything else that's on your mind! I just want to know what you think, lol. **

**Like I said, starting in the next chapter, things will be getting a little darker bit by bit until it's so bad you'll need a flashlight to get through the muddle. Ha, maybe not that much but you get the idea; the Dark King will be featured in the next installment, that should tell you things will take a turn! So until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	9. Chapter 9

**Another late update, so sorry! It's getting harder to update 'regularly' so I apologize for that. **

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**D****isclaimer: I do not own anything related to Mario; it belongs to Nintendo and its creators and their crew.**

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**Chapter Nine**

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There were three things the legendary Dark King valued most; his empire, his armies, and his heir. There was something else, but it was a different kind of value seeing as it was something he'd not yet attained. It was more of a longing, a desire, a need. One that would be sated soon enough.

Bowser walked down the halls of his palace solemnly and not for the first time marveled at its beauty. Every part of of the huge magnificent castle was either black or metal or dark green. Only on the outside was there another color, white. He made sure to have his castle built with only the finest, most rare and sturdy foundation to match the lavish interior. There was marble and smooth granite and pure gold. The palace was truly fit for one so gifted as himself. He had designed it on his own and though it was built primarily via forced labor, it was he who envisioned the impenetrable fortress in the first place.

This particular corridor was only dimly lit by torches hanging in golden rings hooked onto the igneous stone walls. The floor beneath his feet was also a sleek ebony color, waxed to perfection by his servants. Occasionally he'd stride past a small metal table with a piece of conservative art atop it, such as a large glass vase or the like. Everything was dark, just as he liked it. Even down to his clothing. The tailored pants and leather belt and heavy boots he wore were all black. He had no shirt on, as was his custom. Even though it was early spring and still very chilly he was perfectly warm. It was all due to his elevated body temperature which in turn was due to the Composition Curse that had befallen him.

The supposed curse had aided him in so many ways, and the only drawback was that he now assumed the form of his enemy; a lowly mortal human. But it was only in form and not strength or ability that he appeared in such a way, so he'd made the best of it. He'd worked himself vigorously in new ways seeing as he wasn't a great hulking beast any more. His lithe form allowed him to master familiar weapons more accurately and as a result he honed his combat abilities like never before. He was only more dangerous in this new body, for the curse had given him an edge not only in physical ability but outward appearance as well. It had been kind to him, had bestowed upon him a visage of handsomeness that only added to his artillery of skills to utilize to his advantage.

And had he ever.

His body was taut and hardened with muscles and his face left little to be desired. He was sure these things came into account when he garnered new allies. Those creatures who said they'd never do dealings with the ruler of the Badlands changed their tune once they saw his new likeness. The females he could understand, but the males? Perhaps his form proved even fearsome than before. And words, oh powerful gift of speech! How that had been an invaluable asset to him as well! He could do wonders with his new-found ability to speak. It was the much-needed manifestation of his cunning and intellect. He had always possessed a sharp mind but now he was able to use his voice to get his point across. He could bark orders and twist the truth and bargain with his former enemies and weave such charming lies. It was wondrous indeed.

"I wanna do it!" a babyish voice rang through the hall.

Bowser jolted out of his reverie and frowned minutely in displeasure. He knew that voice all too well and rather not hear it too often if he could help it. It was the voice of his sole heir and biological son. Junior. Bowser narrowed his eyes and strode towards the source of the loud proclamation and soon came to his kitchens. There a scene greeted him. The majority of the servants, all human and all dressed in simple brown tunics, were working busily. The kitchens were a large, there was much to be done. Bowser had searched far and wide for the most efficient equipment to be implemented in his castle, whether it be gas stoves or chilled storage containers or most industrious of all, indoor plumbing. When the Dark King found out about the Mushroom Kingdom and their advances with the running taps and flushing toilets and whatnot, he commissioned some of his men to sojourn to the other realm known as 'Brooks Lynn' and find him a capable plumber. After he'd forced the mortal to install a system of irrigation within the castle and pass the knowledge down to a line of servants, he had the man killed.

He was a liability after all.

Bowser leaned against the arched doorway and folded his arms. He watched as his son stood atop a chair arguing with the head of staff, an old mortal with grey eyes and hair. Junior was dressed for the day much like his father in that he wore black pants tailored to fit his slim little body and a black vest with the royal crest emblazoned in red on the back of the fabric. Unlike his father, his long tangled red hair was hanging freely to his shoulders and his feet were bare. On one arm was a lightweight gold band but his crown was missing.

"It's my birthday," Junior cried loudly, "I want to make the food!"

The head of staff looked to be at a loss but still said gently, "I know young Master, but it is not allowed."

Junior pouted and crossed his arms. "You have to 'low me to do it or I'll tell my daddy on you!"

The older man paled visibly and began to sweat. Bowser could see with his enhanced eyesight these minute changes. He knew the old man was frightened, not of the child but of his weighty threat. The Dark King laughed. The noise alerted the servants closest to the doorway and they all went the same ashen shade once they saw him. It only made the king's smile widen.

Bowser was immensely pleased with his son's behavior: making threats at only four years old. It showed a lot. If Junior, the smallest person in the entire castle, had a firm understanding of how things worked that that was saying something. The staff all knew to keep their heads bowed in the king's presence. In fact, there was not a soul in the kitchens that dared meet his eyes. Except for his son of course. Bowser crossed the room in dead silence and approached the head of staff. Their fear kept him in good spirits.

"What's going on here?" His words rolled smoothly off his tongue.

Junior was the one who answered him. He turned his tanned face up to his father and pointed in accusation at the head of staff.

"He won't 'low me to make my own food!" He cried plaintively.

"Is that so?" Bowser inquired.

The king quirked a brow at the head of staff and the man bowed his head even more deeply while wringing an old rag nervously in his white-knuckled hands.

_Yes, fear me, _The king crooned inside. He pretended to humor his son because he knew it scared the old man, what he could do to him. With just a flick of his fingers he could set the man aflame, with only one hand he could strangle the life out of him. To have that power was immensely pleasing.

"Yes, it is so!" Junior stated with his chin raised. "Now you have to punish him."

If the boy knew what those words quite entailed, he might not have so hastily stated them. As it was, Bowser shielded his son from his more unsavory practices if he could. Torture and murder were two things he kept from the boy. For now at least.

"I will do no such thing." Bowser stated quietly.

The head of staff practically sagged in relief. Junior pouted once more and looked slighted.

"But!" He began.

Bowser told him, "Enough Junior. Of course he won't let you cook, you are my prince and heir, it is not your place to do so menial a thing as prepare a meal."

Junior let his shoulders drop defeatedly. His eyes betrayed all of the disappointed his small body bore at being not only denied what he wanted but also publicly chastised by his father whom he idolized. Bowser was still reveling in the fear of his subjects, which he esteemed more highly than their respect or love for him. He turned on his heel and strode out of the kitchen.

To his son he called, "Come with me, Junior. It's time for your training."

He didn't look behind him, he already knew the boy was coming. When Bowser stepped out into the hall again his heir was beside him as instructed.

_He's following in my footsteps, _the king thought, _But he still has some way to go before he reaches his full potential. __  
_

Already Junior was picking up his father's ways. He was manipulative and was always trying to get his way. There was nothing wrong with that, especially since he was a prince but Bowser knew he had to teach his son the underhanded ways of getting what he wanted in life. If not then he'd just end up a spoilt brat like the other Koopalings who came before him. And where were they now? Dead. Every last one of them. Bowser didn't pity the loss. Their deaths, and many others during the war, separated the strong from the weak. And only the strong deserved a place in his empire. Junior may have lost his memory when he was struck with the Composition Curse, but he not only survived, he thrived despite it. His body had undergone the same physical and chemical changes as his father. Because of his resilience, Bowser knew Junior would make a strong and powerful heir.

As they walked, Bowser observed his son. _Yes, he has a long way to go before he reaches that point._

"Junior." He spoke curtly.

The boy flinched at his father's tone but answered, "Yes sir?"

"Where are your shoes?" Bowser wanted to know.

Junior looked down at his feet as if just realizing they were bare. He looked back up and over at his father apprehensively.

"I don't have them." He replied.

"Yes. I can see that much." Bowser stated quietly. "Why don't you have them on?"

"I don't," Junior started but his father stopped suddenly and rounded on him.

"DON'T." he commanded harshly, "Don't you dare tell me you don't know."

Junior winced when his father yelled and now swallowed hard. He was very scared of his father at times; this was one such instance. Bowser could detect this and rolled his eyes. His son needed to fear him, yes, but not to this degree. If mere yelling got him to shaking he'd be up a creek. The words from his mouth, not the tone in which he says them, should incite that fear, Bowser believed. The king crouched to his son's height and took the boy by his shoulders.

"Junior, look at me." He ordered in that even tone.

When large green eyes met amber the Dark King calmed. He was only so hard on the boy because he needed to mold him into something of his liking, someone worthy of taking the throne. In this case it wasn't the shoes that was important. Like himself, Bowser's son had an elevated internal temperature so traipsing barefoot would do him no harm but that wasn't the point.

"As a prince," Bowser told his son, "You have a certain image you must present. Do you understand?"

Junior nodded mutely though he did not fully grasp why it was his father was cross with him.

"Good. Now tell me, why is your hair not combed?" Bowser then asked.

Junior began to fidget, twirling one finger over the other. The king slapped his hands apart and forced his chin up so that their eyes once again met.

"Answer me." He said shortly. "Didn't the servant come to do your hair this morning?"

Junior pushed out his bottom lip and blinked rapidly. He knew better than to cry, though, no matter how much his father intimidated him. He breathed in deeply and faced his father.

"Yes, she came but I ran away from her." He admitted.

"And why did you run?" Bowser replied.

Junior looked down. "Because,"

"Eyes up here," His father interrupted.

The boy looked to his king and said, "Because I. I did not want her to comb my hair."

"You wanna look like a damn girl?" Bowser sneered.

Junior's eyes widened and he quickly shook his head, mortified as much as a child could be.

"Well then next time I suggest you let the servant do her job." Bowser instructed, "No more running away."

"Okay." Junior murmured.

"What was that?" His father implored.

"Yes sir." Junior amended.

Appeased at last, Bowser stood. "When I'm finished training you, I want you to go up to your room and work on your image. You're a prince, boy. Don't come out until you look the part."

"Yes sir." Junior stated docilely.

The king sighed as he began to once again walk. Junior was silent as he kept pace. His son had such marvelous potential but Bowser had to constantly work to carve away his childish flaws. If he were to become a king then he had no room for error. The ways of ruling had to be drilled into him now, while he was young.

Both father and son reached the end of the hall and stepped past an open door on the right. Down some stairs they walked until their feet were level with the smooth concrete ground of the training room. This expansive room was where Bowser took one day out of his busy week to spend time with his heir. He strode over to one end of the room and ignored the crowd of soldiers lined up along all four walls. The area was basically decorated with an array of weapons in cases high on the walls and by the occasional smattering of dried blood here and there. The members of the royal guard trained here frequently as well.

Everyone present watched as the king and his son both slipped into position. Bowser let a smirk show through as he noticed the blank mask his boy had on at the moment. _So the General is doing something right after all, _he thought. The General of his armies was Junior's personal instructor, and by the looks of it the man had effectively taught the boy not to show any emotion during combat.

"Show me what you've learned." Bowser challenged.

His son nodded, his face still satisfyingly neutral.

Bowser had no qualms about cutting, bruising, and hurting his son during these sessions. He'd do whatever was necessary to better his heir. And it wasn't as if Junior couldn't handle it. He was a talented fighter and was skilled just like his father, not to mention he picked up on new weapons quickly. The rate he was going meant that every week he was learning a new technique; it was almost uncanny if one didn't consider who his father was. Bowser was never around to parent his heir much but he found it imperative that he spend this time with Junior at least. He needed to make sure his heir was flawless. He was building an empire after all and one day it would belong to Junior; Bowser couldn't have him squandering all that he'd worked for.

* * *

The best thing to do about a problem or conflict is to just deal with it; In theory that was easy but when it came down to actually coming to terms with my anxiety I was having trouble. Earlier today I pondered how I would go about spending the day with Daisy and her cousins without letting my nervousness overcome me. I never did figure out a solution but I had decided to just go on down to the city anyway. Perhaps the problem would work itself out on my walk to her home.

So far there's been no change.

As I walked further from the castle I tried instead to keep my mind on things other than the source of my unease. It was easy at first. My thoughts strayed to the surprising breakfast I had this morning. Since I woke up starving I'd immediately gotten dressed and headed to the dining hall to see if there was anyone there; there wasn't. Neither Mario nor Peach was present. Disappointed and still hungry, I walked around and found a Mushroom servant. The female creature was a big help to me in my quest for something edible. She'd asked me what I would have liked to be brought up to my room. I told her a bowl of cereal would be good if there was any around, and to my great surprise the servant not only brought up a slim pitcher of milk and a fancy white glass bowl, but also an entire box of the cereal me and Mario used to rot our teeth on when we were growing up. It was enough to make something whimsy and nostalgic sting at the back of my eyes. While I ate I tried to resolve my inner turmoil in regards to Daisy and the upcoming event, but to no avail. I did more reading of the back of the cereal box than resolving. So by noon, here I was without a solution walking to her house.

I passed the tail end of the marketplace and my heart picked up the pace ever so slightly. It was relatively warm out, spring was finally beginning to show through. The change in climate was welcome but it did nothing for my gradually-agitating nerves. The closer I got to my destination, the more I began dreading seeing her. Not because of her, but because I didn't want to do this. Things with Daisy were off to a good start, what with all my embarrassments. I didn't want to go ruining things with a...less savvy perception of her, which was what I feared I'd get if I were to see her in so little clothing.

_Would you pull yourself together? It's just a swimsuit._

It's true, it was only some extra skin. That was it. But then again, it wasn't it. Yes I'd seen plenty of scantily clad women back home but this was different. Daisy wasn't like them, so I didn't want to think of her like that. It was wrong of me.

"Alright," I breathed once I made it to her door, "Here we go."

I flexed my fingers before crushing them into fists. My hand wasn't so steady as I would've liked when I reached it up and knocked on Daisy's door. I mentally braced myself for whatever visage would greet me and hoped it wouldn't render me stupidly speechless.

"...Oh. Luigi. Hello," Daisy greeted in a lackluster sort of way.

I blinked when she opened the door and openly stared at her for a moment. Whatever I was expecting, it wasn't this. Her feet were covered in those same brown boots and stuffed into them were the bottom of her dark brown corduroys. Underneath a dingy yellow apron she wore a simple beige blouse. Her face was a bit drawn but she still sported a faint smile for my sake I think. Her light eyes lost much of their cheer and at her waist she was fidgeting with her fingers.

"Is everything..." I trailed.

I was about to say okay but I knew that was a dumb thing to ask. Of course things weren't okay; she told me we were going swimming and here she is looking worried in an old apron. But she was still beautiful to me, even like that. Maybe it was her hair that did it; even though it was in a messy bun, strands framed her face cutely on either side. If she didn't look so troubled, I might've smiled.

Daisy looked down forlornly and then said, "I'm sorry Luigi. I know you were probably looking forward to today but I have to cancel the swimming trip."

_Oh thank God_

"That's too bad." I stated flatly. "Why is that?"

The girl stared at me with a weak smile, "Well Meech got sick yesterday. I was up with him all night so Danny had to pull this morning's shift at the market while I stayed here."

"Ah," I remarked. "I um, hope he feels better."

It was hard to put much sympathy in that, I was too busy trying to suppress that relief from seeping into my tone. That would definitely give her the wrong idea. I wasn't supposed to be relieved at canceled plans.

"Yes, me too." She replied. "I'm sorry I have to cancel but these things happen, you know?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Again she started to fidget with her fingers. I could tell something else was bothering her. She and I were both quiet for a while. I wanted to say something more but didn't have the faintest idea of what to add. My mind was just drawing a blank. Soon she broke the silence and gazed up at me.

"Danny's shift ends at four," She began, "After that I'll take over and he'll take my place caring for his brother."

I nodded but got a sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew exactly where she was headed with this.

"What I'm saying is," Daisy continued, "We can still go swimming. Later on tonight. If you want to, that is."

And there it was. Not only was I still going swimming with her, but now it would be just the two of us. Alone. And at night, no less. I hesitated. Maybe I was making this out to be worse than it was; perhaps this was a better alternative. If Daisy and I were alone, only she would bear witness to any embarrassing thing I said or did, and since it would be colder and darker at night she might be inclined to dress in somewhat conservative attire to swim in. I could only hope so.

"Would you like that?" Daisy asked me.

I nodded, "Yeah. Sounds good."

Now she smiled that bright, giant smile of hers and said, "Good! I'll see you tonight then."

"Yeah. See you tonight," I smiled back.

If something happens to go sour tonight I really have only myself to blame.

* * *

I was at a loss of what to do with myself now that this afternoon's plans were canceled. I really depended on Daisy a lot when it came to entertainment and company. It crossed my mind to go to Bean Kingdom and pay Peasley a visit but I decided against that for a number of reasons. It would take me hours to get there without a horse and even if I did arrive and return before dark, which was highly unlikely, I didn't know how to get to his palace anymore. So that sojourn was out of the question.

"Hey."

I stopped in the middle of the marketplace when I heard a familiar voice call out. I looked all around but couldn't see who had spoken; there were lots of people in town this afternoon, none of them seemed to be interested in me. Hm.

_Maybe it was someone else calling out to...someone else I guess. Or maybe I just imagined-_

"Over here!" The voice was more insistent this time and had come from my left.

When I turned sharply in that direction, I saw it was Daisy's cousin who'd spoken to me. He was standing in front of the brick shop window with this blank look on his face. If it weren't for the sustained eye contact between the two of us, I wouldn't have known it was him who'd called out to me. Steadily he held my gaze as he piled a variety of red and green apples into a cream sack for a Mushroom customer. He jerked his head over to me and I decided to approach him.

I towered over the tiny denizen of Peach's kingdom and stared expectantly at Danny. He just kept piling apples into the bag. Staring at me.

"Well?" I asked slowly.

"That's gonna' be twenty gold coins," Danny spoke, but not to me.

I rolled my eyes and was about to walk off. I knew the boy was a quiet sort, but why call me over if he just wanted to ignore me? It made no sense and though I was at a loss as to what to do for the rest of the day, I certainly knew there were better ways than this to pass the time.

"Look," Danny began tersely.

_I'm listening, _I thought impatiently. I just stood there though and waited for him to continue. Once the customer had counted out the amount of change necessary for his purchase, he held out the handful of gold change. Danny reached down and took the generous payment and closed the lid over the fruit and vegetable carts before locking them. Then he headed to the door of the brick shop building, motioning for me to follow him. I did so warily. After we were both inside, Danny shut the door and leaned against it. I really wasn't sure what kind of intimidation tactic this kid was putting on but it wasn't working. He was fifteen, lanky, and literally too tall for his own britches; the dark brown pants rode up around his ankles.

"Daisy likes you," he spoke at last with his arms folded.

At first I was a bit befuddled at the proclamation, then everything started to make sense. So no wonder he was on edge; he was worried about his cousin getting her feelings hurt. Well there was very little chance of that happening at my expense. I would never do anything to upset the girl.

"She _really _likes you," The teenager enunciated.

I nodded and said, "I know. I mean I...kinda' figured."

_Wow, way to sound conceited, _I thought dismally. To be fair though, it was quite obvious the girl was into me. I started over just as Danny was giving me an unsure, quizzical look.

"What I meant was, I really like her too." I amended.

Danny's expression mellowed back out into neutrality as he said quietly, "Then be good to her."

"I will." I replied assuredly.

And after a few seconds of silence, Danny gave me a hard nod and exited the shop. He held the door open for me and I left him and the awkwardness of what wasn't really a conversation behind. Maybe now that he knows I only mean well towards his cousin he'll stop giving me dirty looks. I mean, he _did _hold the door open for me so that was a start.

* * *

Back at the palace I saw half of the royal couple for the first time today. It was Peach. I was heading upstairs to go and sleep or read a comic or something to pass the time when I was her. She looked to be under some great stress. Although it was past noon, the princess was still dressed in her pale nightgown and satin slippers. I started to cross the expanse of the upstairs hallway to go and speak to her when she came flying my way. She obviously didn't see me because she ran into me headlong.

"Oh! Luigi!" She exclaimed, flustered. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

She ran one of her un-gloved hands through her loose blonde hair and then lowered her arms to her sides. She didn't look as if she'd gotten a good rest last night, her eyes were the dead giveaway. She was tired and not just physically.

"What's the matter?" I asked her gently.

She pushed her hair behind her shoulders and gave me this really sad look. Her eyes were so clear and blue and wet it was as if she was about to tell me something, the truth maybe, but she thought against it and looked down instead. I knew her troubles had something to do with Mario. Perhaps she felt like, as his brother, I wouldn't be good to vent to. If only she knew how wrong an assumption that was. I wouldn't mind hearing her.

Just not right now.

I already had my own relationship problems, and by that I mean I have to be on my guard all the time so I don't do something stupid or embarrassing around this girl I want to impress.

"It's just," Peach began, "there's so many things that need to be done and it would be nice to have some kind of assistance."

"But I guess that can't be helped." She murmured under her breath.

That was certainly new. I never witness such passive aggressive bitterness coming from the princess before. Now I definitely knew Mario was the source of her distress. I would offer to help but I know that's not what she wants. She wants Mario to be the one helping her, and not out of obligation either. Don't ask me how I know these things, I just sorta 'get' girls and their logic...sometimes.

"I still need to pick out clothes and pack the luggage and buy a gift and have the horses loaded up for tomorrow." She rambled on.

I frowned, "What's going on?"

"Mario and I were invited to a feast in honor of Bowser Junior's fifth birthday." She explained. "It's to take place in a few days but we're set to leave tomorrow around six. You're welcome to join us."

The offer seemed innocuous enough, save for the part about it being _Bowser's_ feast for _Bowser's_ son at _Bowser's_ castle. Something about that just didn't seem right. But then again, if the princess was going there'd no doubt be royal guards and such. And Bowser just lost a war, he wouldn't dare try any funny business so soon right? It should be okay.

"I know this is short notice," Peach said, "So you don't have to go."

I shrugged and asked, "No it sounds okay. Can I bring somebody with me?"

Peach took that moment to smile and answer, "Yes, you can bring Daisy with you if she's willing."

Immediately I flushed. _How did she know I was thinking of Daisy? Maybe the princess pays more attention than she lets on. That would make sense; she's not so self-absorbed as Mario after all. _

"We'll depart at six tomorrow and stay for two days and two nights," She informed me, "It'd be best if you pack a little extra just in case something happens."

I nodded absently and started to think to myself. All my clothes were already packed, I had never really unpacked to begin with. The only thing I had to do was ask Daisy. _Wonder what she'll say. Will she turn me down? I wouldn't blame her. It is the Dark King we're dealing with, but if Mario and Peach are going it should be fine. I mean, Mario loathes Bowser so if he's sucking up his pride and going, it must mean that things are okay by his standards._

So I suppose that settled it. I'd ask Daisy tonight. I just hope Peach didn't mean anything by her warning to pack extra in case _something_ happens.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading! The story is moving along...oh my goodness, it seems everyone's going along with this little feast of Bowser's. So what is going to happen? Will it just be a feast filled with tension and the antics of a mischievous little Dark Prince, or will something more sinister go down? We'll see in the next chapter of course! So um, please leave a review if it's not too much to ask!**

**~DymondGold~**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for being patient and reviewing and such! I love that about you readers! **

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise.**

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**Chapter Ten**

* * *

Around eight I ended up sucking up my pride and asking Mario for some expendable pants to wear. Some loose cotton ones, thin and black. They were great for swimming in, but did nothing to ward off the chill of the night air. I'd rubbed my arms the entire walk from the palace to Daisy's place. Besides the cold, there was another thing making me shake; anxiety. I couldn't tell you how nervous I was. Earlier I'd actually come up with a plan of ditching the girl and the event, in a nice way mind you. But in the end here I was, standing in my old Ramones shirt and these borrowed pants and my black trainers at her doorstep.

The fist I used to rap against the old wood was just as clammy as the one at my waist. I was sweating lightly on the back of my neck and I could feel my heart beating in pronounced thumps as I waited for her to open up. When she did I was floored.

"Hey Luigi!" She greeted.

I didn't reply. Couldn't. All that was on my mind was why. Why was she wearing...I don't even know what it was. Some kind of shorts that used to be pants, I could tell from the frayed corduroy edges even though she'd taken care to cuff them. Her bellybutton was on display before she began to fidget under my silent scrutiny and pull her shirt down over it. That shirt wasn't long enough. There was still a line of creamy white flesh peeking in between the waistband of her shorts and the red hem of her shirt. I dragged my eyes up from her stomach to her face.

"Are you okay?" She asked me.

_Not really, no_

I nodded anyway and swallowed. I was starting to calm. Her face was fresh and innocuous and sweet. Not sinfully enticing like the rest of her body. She had her hair down and was absently pushing the dark brown waves behind her ears. She didn't seem to notice how out of sorts I was so at least I knew she wasn't doing this on purpose, being all alluring and whatnot.

"I'll be right back," She told me.

Again I only nodded. Daisy walked from the doorway further into her house. I heard her a little bit, she was giving instructions to one of her cousins on how to care for the sick one. Last minute things, like keep a cup of water by the bed and have an extra blanket on hand. Pretty soon she came back to the door and tugged at her shirt self-consciously.

"I don't have a proper swimsuit," She lamented shyly.

I shrugged, "Me too."

_Me too? Should've said me neither. _Oh well. It was a wonder I got that much right seeing as how I could hardly think straight. I rubbed at my arms and tried to get a hold of myself.

"Are you ready?" Daisy asked with a smile.

_Not at all_

"Yeah," I lied.

_So not ready for this. Should've just took a rain check. Speaking of rain, I wish it would rain. That way I'd be out of this awkward situation._

That was no way to think. As I followed Daisy through the marketplace and towards the woods I berated myself. Daisy was happy to spend time with me and here I was thinking of ways to get out of it. Even though it wasn't the principle of being with her tonight that bothered me. Being alone in the dark with her while she was dressed like _that, _showing so much of her body had me nervous and when I get nervous I do and say stupid things.

"Wait here," She instructed.

I blinked and watched Daisy head into the double doors of the stables behind her shop. I hadn't even realized we'd made it here. I gotta stop thinking so much.

Daisy led a strong black horse over to me and climbed atop it. She settled herself and gathered the reins in her slim hands. Then she looked down to me.

"Is something wrong?" Her voice and face were colored with confusion.

I shook my head quickly and said, "No, no."

"Well come on up, then." She prompted with a smile.

I did so gingerly. It was one thing to ride a horse with her during the day while she was fully clothed and another to do so now. Maybe in theory it shouldn't have made a difference but it did. I sat behind her with a huge gap in between her and me. While I was settling myself at a point far from her but not so far that I'd fall off as soon as the horse began to move, I accidentally made contact with her leg. I jerked my hand back so fast I had to catch myself to stay astride. Daisy turned around.

Now she was worried when she asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." I told her.

She didn't seem convinced. "Um, if it bothers you we could ride on two different horses."

I shook my head and looked down at my hands. They were shaking.

"No, this is fine." I assured her.

She turned around and shrugged. "Okay then."

And we were off.

The horse couldn't move fast enough for me. I found myself at a loss for the second or third time tonight as to what to do with my hands. The scenery was all the same without the sun to alight on its subtle differences so I was stuck with a limited view of either that or the back of Daisy's head. The monotony of the ride helped chill me out. But when we made it to the lake and Daisy slid down from the horse, that coolness faded fast. She tied the reins to a tree nearby and then bent over to take off her boots. They weren't the same lace-up brown ones she wore on a daily basis although the color was the same. These were only ankle-length and much more worn out.

But that wasn't what I was looking at.

Well it was, but only as a diversion. She was bent over for goodness sakes and though she was facing me all I could do was stare at those legs, those long pretty legs of hers. She should wear shorts more often. They suited her. Now that the shock of seeing her for the first time in them had nearly worn off, I could appreciate how good she looked in them. But I didn't look for too long, hence my cursory inspection of her boots.

"Are you gonna take those off?" She called.

Daisy was upright now, thank goodness, and was pointing at my feet. I looked down and remembered I still had on my black trainers. I crouched down and started to unlace them. It was harder than usual now that my fingers were trembling. If that weren't bad enough, before I even got the first shoe undone Daisy came and stood directly in front of me. And there they were again, those legs. If I were an artist, I don't think I could draw a better pair.

_What is wrong with me?_

I frowned and stared at my hands as I finished getting my trainer's off. Luckily Daisy had begun walking away. She got about ten or so feet from the lake and then stopped. The puzzled expression on my face went unseen because in the next moment she was busy running towards the placid body of water. Just as she reached the edge of the lake her feet left the ground and her body sailed high in the air in a lazy arc where it stayed afloat against the backdrop of the evening wood for a split second. Then she came crashing down into the once quiet depths with a huge splash. She stayed under for some time before popping her head up and then stroking against the water on her back. Forwards she then swam all the way back to shallow ground where she stood and started wringing her long hair over her shoulder. She looked and moved like somebody who knew how to have fun. She especially seemed to be enjoying herself if that happy smile was anything to go by.

"You know," She teased, "Swimming requires you getting in the water."

I gripped my elbow with the opposite hand and shrugged. How could I explain it to her; that I was content to just stand here and watch her all night? She was fascinating. She was lovely and. And she was coming over to me. Very purposefully she was sloshing through the water and making her way over to where I stood.

"Luigi you need to relax." She advised, then she took my hand.

If she minded the clamminess she didn't say so as she dragged me over to the lake. When we got to the deep center of the water, where it rose to our necks, she let go of my hand at last. I was sorry for it.

With a laugh she remarked, "You're acting too stiff Luigi."

I tried to shrug because I didn't know how to respond to that but the gesture was lost to her under the dark waters. She then got a light to her eyes and started to swim away from me.

"Come on, I wanna show you something," She said.

I didn't hesitate to swim behind her. She dove under the surface and so did I. Now I remembered the stark difference of lakes back home and lakes here in Mushroom Kingdom. Even though it was dark, the water was significantly clearer than regular water. I could make out Daisy swimming towards the right and I was on her tail. She stopped and picked something up from the side of the dirt. When she started swimming up I was in awe of her legs moving powerfully against the unseen force of the water. But I did come up eventually.

"Look at this," Daisy said.

I swam over to her and took a look at what was in her hands. It was an old muddy shell. Pink and conical and odd to find at a lake. She dipped the smaller funnel-like end under water and shoved her pinky through the hole, then filled the entire interior with water.

"Look inside." She encouraged, "What do you see?"

I did as she said and squinted. All I saw was a bunch of squiggly lines and jagged colors mixing with each other. Nothing special. I was about to respond but she suddenly removed her pinky, brought the shell to her lips and blew the water all over my face. It was like standing on the sidewalk on a rainy day and having a car splash a puddle of water all over you. It was shocking and unnerving and all I could do was just blink.

_The hell?_

I quirked a brow and then smiled as the seconds progressed because Daisy was laughing. She was apologizing over her laugh but I could barely make it out. She was sorry, she said, but she couldn't resist. I wasn't offended. She looked so happy. And though it took me a little while to catch onto the joke, I was soon laughing as well. A quiet sort of laugh but totally genuine. She laughed harder and suddenly went underwater. I did too.

This time Daisy just floated there. Her hair fanned out around her and her eyes shone mirthfully and her body was beautifully contorted into a cross-legged position. She waved at me and blew a fake kiss. I was close enough to see her lips pout and pucker against her hand and I was once again in awe. She looked so. The moon was shining down on the water at the time and helped me find the word: ethereal. She seemed so much better and more perfect than just a girl of this world.

The feeling hadn't dissipated after we both resurfaced and I had the strongest urge to do something. _Something_. I bobbed above water and stared at her hard, hoping to find the solution to this sudden internal malady. She began to fidget.

"Luigi what is it?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know," I said in just as low a tone.

_Don't think, just act._

"Are you...alright?" She wanted to know.

_Don't think._

"I'm..." I trailed. What was I?

_Don't think._

I took her hands tentatively and she held onto mind instantly.

_Don't think._

"Luigi?"

_Don't think._

Her eyes fluttered closed.

_Don't think._

She leaned her head up.

_Don't think._

I lowered my own closer to hers.

_Just act._

Our lips met and we both shivered at the same time. My heart was slamming against my chest and all I could hear was the blood rushing in my ears and the crickets in the grass and the water around us but those things didn't register the longer those petal-soft, cold wet lips were against mine. Her eyes were closed but mine were wide open. The horse whinnied loudly then, and startled us apart.

Then I started to think.

Her hands were bunched around my shirt and my own hands circled her wrists. We were so close, how did we get so close? I moved back and so did she. Silence hung like heavy white sheets on a clothesline as we just looked at each other. What made me do that? That was so. Not like me. But I liked it. And I think she did too. But it might be best if I don't do that again, no matter how good those rose-colored lips of hers looked right now with her fingers pushed atop them. Because that was a big step and I didn't want to move things too fast with Daisy.

I looked down and away to distract myself from her mouth but I had nothing to worry about; my moment of impulsiveness had passed. It was unbearably quiet now and I just had to say something since it seemed like she wouldn't. Which was like the opposite of how things normally are for me. For once somebody else is as lost for words as I am.

"We should go back." I said at last.

She sounded disappointed when she replied, "Oh. Okay."

That was what it took to snap us out of that inactive trance and get us both swimming to the shallow end of the lake. I felt bad though. Daisy sounded and looked hurt. I hoped to God she didn't think I was rejecting her. I just really didn't want to go too far with her, not right now. But as usual I didn't know what to say to let her know this.

_Try! She looks like somebody kicked her dog or something_

I stood barefoot with the cool water lapping languidly at my ankles and rubbed my hands against my soaked pants. Daisy was already standing some distance away from me, wringing her hair with her back to me. It hurt to see her acting that way, I could tell from her body language that she was closing herself off. I had to act fast. But while I had the chance I admired her figure. It was so nice, after all. With her clothes wet I could see every curve and contour of her frame. The way she was standing, with her hip dropped a bit, made her seem like a work of Impressionist art.

_Yeah and if that doesn't make you sound like some kind of poindexter..._

"Uh Daisy?" I spoke.

She turned round and let go of her hair. The dark, tangled mass flopped against her cheek as she blinked at me owlishly.

"I kinda wanted to ask you something," I continued.

Daisy stepped over to me and gained a less hurt, more curious air. I almost lost track of what it was I was about to ask because I was so relieved she wasn't shutting me out or anything.

"Tomorrow Mario and Peach and I, we're uh, we're going to a feast for Bowser Junior." I explained.

I shivered and added, "We'll be staying for two days and nights and I wanted to know if you um. If you wanted to come with us. With me."

I didn't want there to be any confusion about the way I felt about her. I think she got the message because her face flushed faintly for a moment. Then she looked thoughtful.

"Is that safe?" She inquired.

I nodded, "Pretty safe."

That didn't sound convincing. I wouldn't be convinced if somebody told me something was, _pretty safe_. She looked predictably skeptical and I sought to reform my answer. But it was true. I didn't really know how safe it was to go gallivanting around Bowser's castle. We'd be on his turf and if he decided to pull something crazy, we'd be at his mercy. Here I was inviting Daisy into that kind of situation, and on such short notice, too. She had a sick cousin and a shop to run and a life to live. Now that I thought of it that way, I realized how much I was asking of her.

"If you don't want to go, I understand." I told her sincerely.

She smiled. "No, I do want to go. Do you want to go to the market tomorrow afternoon then?"

I frowned, "The market?"

"To pick out a gift. For Junior." She clarified. "I can't do it in the morning since I'll need to prepare but the afternoon will be fine."

"Oh yeah. Yeah that's good," I conceded.

_I really don't know the first thing about buying a gift for a little kid. Much less for the little kid of an evil king. _

As I pondered that, a chilling wind ghosted by. It chilled me to the core. The breeze was gentle enough but because I was completely soaked, it bit like daggers at my exposed skin. Daisy shivered too and then a look of mild despair crossed her face.

"What is it?" I asked her.

She brought her fingertips to her hairline and lamented, "The towels; I forgot them at home."

"Towels?" I frowned.

_For drying off with, genius _

"I'll go get them." I stated before she could realize the stupidity of what I'd said before.

She dropped her hands and raised a brow, "Luigi, that's a long way."

I shrugged, "It's alright, I'll just run it."

Daisy blinked before she smiled weakly and nodded. "Okay then."

"I'll, uh, I'll be right back." I told her as I backtracked out of the woods.

* * *

I really did run all the way from the lake to Daisy's place and my body was paying for it. It was all I could do not to collapse at her doorstep. My heart was beating a mile a minute; it really felt like it was about to tear through my chest with each thump. Inside my head my temples were throbbing and my hands were shaking. I had to lean on the doorframe for support as I struggled to catch my breath.

_Mario wouldn't be so winded _

I frowned at the thought. It was acerbic and bitterly toned but worst of all it was true. Mario wouldn't get tired from a run like that, not while he was all beefed out. In fact, he probably did sprints like this every morning as warm-ups. It was enough to make me jealous, I wouldn't deny it. But it wasn't his physical prowess I was envious of. I just wished he hadn't denied me that same chance to hone my skills. If I'd been able to help him in the Great War, maybe we'd be on par with each other instead of him on top and me left hopelessly behind. But it is what it is. I guess I'll just have to accept things since I'll be leaving in a few more days anyway.

Only after I'd composed myself enough to stop panting and stand up straight did I dare knock on the door. The second my knuckles left the rugged wood I heard footsteps approaching from down the hall. I braced myself and swallowed to wet my throat: it had dried during my run.

Danny yanked open the door and looked to and fro. When he saw me it was obvious he'd been expecting Daisy and was surprised to find me instead. I was about to tell him what I needed when I realized what it was he had on. Clinging comically to his awkward teenage frame was a bright yellow apron. It was almost laughable how it contrasted with his image yet fit snugly against his gangly body. Danny glanced to where I was looking and his eyes widened a fraction. Slowly he met my eyes. There was a struggle in those dark eyes. He fought to keep his face blank.

Somewhat defensively he asked, "Where's Daisy?"

"She's at the lake," I said flatly, "I came for the towels."

The boy nodded and closed the door. When he came back a short while later the apron was gone and his face was tight with suppressed embarrassment. He had a stack of two black cloth towels to hand me. He didn't dare meet my eyes and only muttered something when I thanked him, then shut the door behind me. I didn't know why he was so ashamed. It was honorable of him to go to such...lengths to care for his little brother.

* * *

The sprint from Daisy's place back to the lake was easier than earlier. I wasn't nearly as breathless as before and I found that I really didn't need the towel. I was mostly dry. And my blood was pumping nice and healthily so I wasn't as cold as before either. I handed Daisy the towels and walked over to put my trainers back on.

"Thank you so much, Luigi," I heard her call.

When I stood back up Daisy was climbing onto the horse. I swallowed before I got on as well. As soon as I got settled, Daisy scooted closer to me. Then she turned around.

"I hope you don't mind, Luigi. It's just so cold." She explained.

I shook my head and said, "No, no. It's cool."

She smiled and turned back around. As she gathered the reins in her hands, my heart started slamming into my chest again. But like before, once we started riding I began to relax and enjoy having her near me. My palms were still sweating and my hands still shook but it wasn't so bad, not really.

We put the horse away at the stables and walked the rest of the way to Daisy's place. The whole time I tried to work up the nerve to hold her hand. That courage that possessed me to kiss her earlier had deserted me. Where had it come from in the first place? I wasn't sure. But I was sure of one thing; her hand went un-held that night.

Soon we were at her door.

Instead of bidding me goodnight and going inside, Daisy hesitated. She was so cute to me as she stood there, towel hooded over her head and around her shoulders as she looked down and fidgeted with her fingers. She pouted and moved part of her bottom lip through her teeth. Then she looked up at me.

"Thank you for coming tonight, Luigi."

"It was nothing," I shrugged.

_Nothing? Nothing?! It was more than nothing! It was amazing! You got your first kiss...well, technically your third but your first real kiss and all you have to say is 'it was nothing?! _

"I had a good time." I amended.

Daisy beamed and said, "I'm glad."

"Yeah." I murmured.

"I'll see you in the morning then." She said.

"Yeah. In the morning." I repeated.

When she stepped towards me I knew she was about to hug me. I wrapped my arms around her and wished I didn't have to let her go. She pulled back though. What I hadn't counted on was what she did next.

Quick. Light. Sweet.

Her lips had barely moved against mine but they had. It was unmistakable, those full lips had definitely touched mine again. She'd kissed me. _She'd _kissed _me. _That could only mean one thing; she digs me. It was one thing for me to kiss her, but for her to initiate the embrace? She totally digs me. Now I really did smile. She laughed and ducked into her house.

"Goodnight, Luigi." She called out.

Her voice floated whimsically over a breeze and I called back to her, "Night."

I was on cloud nine.

* * *

**A/N: Short chapter. You know how it is, gotta get back in the habit. Thanks for reading, leave a review if you don't mind. I know its uneventful but things are being put into motion. Until next chapter...**

**~DymondGold~**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for being patient and reviewing and such! Someone asked why this was rated M. Just wait until next chapter, you'll see! This is the official turning point in the story so enjoy! **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

I need a haircut. It was plain to see this morning as I brushed my teeth in the guest bathroom. The mirror was clean and clear in its gilded frame so there was no mistaking the ridiculous amount of split ends I'd accrued; Peasley would call it a travesty.

I smiled at that and rinsed my mouth out. The lighting didn't lie, I was still pale as ever but my eyes. They weren't so sad anymore. Still deep and dark blue but much less sad. It was an improvement courtesy of Daisy I think.

After I finished in the bathroom I headed towards the bed. I'd already made it earlier and now only my bag rested on it. Into the sack I dropped my toothbrush and paste. It was the last things I needed to pack for the trip later on tonight. Though pack isn't the word I'd use seeing as I never really unpacked. I only had two pieces of luggage and was just taking one. Inside my booksack was a couple of outfits much like the one I had on; jeans and t-shirts. Along with my clothes I had my comic books and some gold Mario gave me a couple of days ago. While I fetched the small sack of coins my hands brushed the glossy surface of my comics. It made me think of Daisy's younger cousin.

If I were him I'd be awful bored. Holed up in that house all day couldn't be fun. I bet he'd like a good book to read. I mean these technically weren't books but they were just as good. I slid one out of my booksack at random and tucked it inside my jacket pocket. Having done that I zipped up my bag and left it on the bag for later, then walked out of the room. I shut the door behind me quietly. It didn't seem like anyone was up besides me. Was that really the case? It wasn't that early.

I trudged downstairs and was not surprised to see the dining hall was empty once more. The table was set and decked out in the usual bread and fruit and sweets though. I walked over and took a plain muffin from the silver tray it rested on. I figured somebody might as well try to enjoy this spread since the royal couple wasn't down yet. I don't think Peach and Mario were on good terms still. That was just sad. I really hope my brother could work this out but the situation couldn't be helped, not by me. I had my own issues to worry about. The one at hand was the gift thing; what was I supposed to buy for the son of an evil king? Something dastardly? A weapon maybe? I frowned.

As I bounded down the broad white steps outside of the castle I thought more on the subject. Only when I was in the marketplace did I decide to stick with something simple. A toy or coloring book would do. Something that little kids like. Junior was four going on five. He acted like a regular kid to some extent and kids like pretty much the same things at that age. Speaking of kids, I didn't see the one in front of me and knocked them down.

"Ah, sorry about that." I said with a sheepish smile.

The child that had run into my leg barely stood as tall as my knee. It was a curly-haired little girl with dark skin and eyes. I could only wonder why as I bent down to help pick up the spilled contents of the basket she clutched. Why on earth was she hauling around a bunch of rocks. Big small and medium ones, all red. It was strange. I stacked them into her woven brown basket nonetheless and patted her on the head when I was finished.

"There you go," I said.

Before she could scamper off, I placed the muffin I had on top of her pile of rocks. That smile she gave me was priceless. I smiled back but only a bit. It didn't make sense to me, it was just a muffin. Unless her family was poor and couldn't afford food on a regular basis. That's what it looked like. Her dress was more a burlap sack than actual clothing. Either way, it was no big deal to me. I shoved my hands in my pockets and turned around, intent on continuing on to Daisy's shop only...

There she was.

Dressed for work and sporting a huge grin she stood there ahead of me with her arms crossed and a proud, knowing sparkle in those light eyes I so admired. She closed the distance between us and shook her head.

"Luigi that was sweet." She praised.

I shrugged. It was the only thing to do in that situation. I knocked the kid down so I helped them up. Nothing sweet about it but if it made Daisy smile like that I wouldn't complain. She unfolded her arms and I saw that she had a piece of fruit in each hand. To me she gave a pear while she kept the apple. As she took a bite, I watched her mouth. I couldn't help it. It was a nice mouth. It tasted nice too. I think she could tell what I was thinking because in the next instant our eyes met and she flushed bright red.

Cue awkward silence.

For once it wasn't awkward for me though. I wasn't ashamed or embarrassed, not for kissing her. If I could just work up the nerve I'd do it again. As often as I could in fact. I blinked and decided that was enough honest musing for one day. Daisy turned away from me and looked down.

"Do you want to come over and have breakfast?" She asked.

Her blush was gone. Too bad for that too, it was lovely on her. I nodded in response to her question and bit into my own fruit. I could use a real breakfast. My appetite wasn't nearly as impressive as my brother's but it would take more than a pear to fill me up. Like I noticed before, the more I visited Daisy the shorter the walk to her home seemed to take: we were there in no time

"Is your cousin any better?" I asked her as she unlocked the door.

Daisy pursed her lips, "Somewhat."

"Ah," I murmured, "I asked 'cause I uh. I had something for him. Just a book to help him pass the time."

Daisy held the door open for me and said, "Oh how nice! I'll let you give it to him."

She shut the door and strode down the hall. Obviously the first thing my eyes dropped down to were her hips. I jerked my gaze from her legs up to the back of her head. Her hair was down today but held back in the middle with a plain black clip. She stopped at the door on the left and turned around.

"Here he is." She said. To her cousin she explained, "Luigi brought you something Meech."

Then she left us alone.

To say the room was small was...well it was a hole really. A closet. Only because there were two twin beds, two dressers, and a bunch of wooden crates crammed in between the four walls. There was no closet so I assumed that was the reason there was so much on display. The crates were stacked along the walls and held all sorts of things. Little wooden boats and knick-knacks and clothes and shoes. I found Meech buried under a sea of blankets looking even tinier than usual. He was on his back, raised up on his elbows. His hair was matted to his forehead with sweat. He was all washed out and pale. Despite his sickly appearance, he still held an air of childish curiosity.

"Hey." I greeted.

I stepped over various things littering the floor and made my way over to him. He looked kind of fragile in that bed. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out the comic. He seemed confused when he saw it at first but took it from me nonetheless.

"It's a comic book," I explained. "I don't know if they have any around here but um."

I ran out of things to say. Luckily, Meech seemed more interested in the book by now. He murmured a weak, hoarse word of thanks as he eagerly flipped through its pages. I stepped back and crossed the room to leave him be. Danny was in the doorway. He didn't look impressed.

"What?" I asked flatly.

He lowered his floppish brown hat over his ears and quirked a brow. The kid waited until I was out of the room and away from his brother's range of hearing before he spoke.

"What'd you do that for?" he asked in a low voice.

I remained blank-faced as I replied, "What, give him the book?"

Danny nodded solemnly. "What did you mean by it?"

"Nothing." I stated. "I just thought he might like it."

Danny also buried his hands in his pockets like me and knitted his brows. He was the picture of skepticism.

"Are you trying to impress Daisy so she'll like you more?" He asked at last.

_No but isn't that genius; get to her cousins to get to her. Seems pretty solid but of course that was hardly on my mind. _

I shook my head. "I just thought he'd like it is all."

Danny was still wary of me but didn't say anything more. He stepped past me and went into the room he shared with his brother. I don't think he'll ever really trust me. I didn't blame him though, just shook my head with a sigh and started down the hall to the kitchen. I could smell something cooking. It smelled like cinnamon.

"There you are!" Daisy said when I got there, "What did he say? Did he like it?"

"More or less." I answered.

* * *

After Daisy and I finished our breakfast of cinnamon porridge and milk we headed out to the market. We had to make haste. Daisy said she had to work and get ready for the trip afterwards so our window was limited to about an hour.

"Do you know what you want to buy?" Daisy asked me.

I honestly had no clue so I shook my head. Though I'd narrowed it down to a toy of some sort, that was still very vague. Daisy gazed at me sympathetically.

"I'm not sure what to get either," She admitted, "I mean it's Bowser's son."

"Exactly," I murmured.

We got to the shop she had in mind and I followed her in. It wasn't particularly packed, just had some women and a sole other male about my age. He started eyeing Daisy as soon as she stepped in. I decided to watch him carefully from then on.

"Let's split up." Daisy suggested.

_Let's not, _I thought with my gaze still on that one guy.

"We'll meet at the register when we find something." She proposed.

Against my better judgement I nodded and let her walk off in one direction while I did in another. I kept her in sight as I browsed though. That was fairly easy since the shop wasn't the biggest. It also didn't have much of a selection, I soon found. Why did Daisy want to come here? There weren't many, if any, items suitable for a child.

In the near half-hour I spent looking around all I had to show for it was a big white sketchpad. There was some liberty taken there; I supposed it could count as a coloring book. Just when I was about to lose hope I saw a box on the shelf near my feet. I bent down and picked up the plain brown package and turned it over. Oil pastels. Not really crayons but they'll do. With my decision made, I sought out the register. Daisy was nowhere near it. She was by the entrance of the store. So was the guy from earlier, the one I was supposed to be watching. He was blocking my view of Daisy with his back to me. I didn't hear what he was saying to her but from her expression I'd say she was not interested and just a bit intimidated.

Tall and brawny he was, but that didn't deter me as I strode towards him. I couldn't fight him and hope to win so when I got to the pair I didn't speak or even look at him. I just took Daisy's hand in mine and led her away, towards the register. During the short trip Daisy laced her fingers in mine. I should've wiped my hand first, it was all sweaty. I couldn't help it. I was nervous. Going over there was one thing, taking her hand too? I was nervous. But I was getting over it the more I spent time with this girl.

"Thanks for that, Luigi." Daisy murmured. "But how did you know to come over?"

I shrugged, "I could tell he was bothering you."

"Well I haven't found anything yet." She said.

That was obvious as there was nothing in her other hand, the one that wasn't intertwined with mine.

"You want to look together?" She suggested, "I see you already got your gift picked out."

I shrugged, "Okay."

The false calmness was serving me well now as it always did. She couldn't tell how nervous I was. It was a good kind though. Holding her hand, simple a gesture as it was, was nice. Not as nice as kissing her but still nice. I thought about it some more as she led me through the store, looking around. Did I need a reason to do it again or should I just do it?

"You like it?"

"Yes."

"You didn't even look, Luigi" Daisy accused with an easy smile.

I swallowed. That's because I wasn't referring to the thing in her hands, the puzzle. I blinked and studied the box she held. It was a modern item, a 200 piece puzzle. That was complex for a kid if you ask me. _  
_

"I know what you're thinking," She started.

_No you don't. If you did you'd be blushing again. _

"It's not really a gift for a five year old." She elucidated. "But Junior's an intelligent boy and this place is lacking in the toy department."

"You can say that again," I said dryly.

To myself I wondered how she knew Junior to be an intelligent boy as she said. How could she know that? Maybe many people did and I just didn't because I'd been gone two years. Thanks again for that, bro.

"It didn't always used to be this way." Daisy remarked. "But since the war people haven't had time to play. Everybody's working so the stores sell things to help the economy. Strictly food and tools and such."

Just as I'd thought. I remembered the kid I knocked down. Now that I think of it, those rocks might have been for trading. It sure didn't seem to be a toy. And the child didn't look to be playing, more like rushing to work. How sad.

"Things are getting back to normal though." Daisy commented.

When it was our turn at the register I pulled out the sack of coins Mario gave me. I paid for Daisy's and my own items and even had them wrapped. It was free so why not. With the gifts in hand we left that place and decided to part ways. Daisy thanked me for footing the bill and said she'd see me later on.

Then I kissed her.

I just took her hand when she was about to walk off and kissed her real quickly, before I lost the gumption. She responded immediately in her own soft way. It gave me chills and a sense of inner relief to do that. I don't think I'll ever get used to kissing her; All the more reason to do it again.

* * *

Bowser woke with a start. His eyes snapped open and his hands tensed and curled at the fingers; he had the urge to strangle the life out of something because he'd been disturbed. Jerked from his passion-addled slumber by an unknown force. He narrowed his eyes, determined to find out what had taken him from his dreams at the ungodly hour of near-dawn. As he jack-knifed in his large bed he came face to tiny face with the culprit.

His son.

The Dark King sighed and closed his eyes. Of course it was him. Who else but his innocuous boy had the gall to disturb the mighty Lord of the Badlands?

Bowser opened his eyes again and fell back onto his pillows. He stretched and pulled his toned arms behind his head. His hair spread around his head on the black silk. He tried to calm his alert nerves and dispel the bitterness at having been robbed of his rest. _He'll need a lesson in boundaries soon, _Bowser thought in regards to his boy.

"Daddy." Junior spoke.

The Dark King looked to where Junior was perched on his stomach. The boy's head was craned forward, nearly parallel with his own. That mass of tangled red hair so like Bowser's own was in utter disarray around Junior's young face.

"What? What do you want?" Bowser scowled.

Junior was unaffected by the king's tone and expression. His own brightened as he shifted on top of his father's stomach.

"You have to wake up, Daddy. The feast is today so you cannot be too late!" Junior stated with the utmost solemnity.

Bowser rolled his eyes and shoved his son lightly to the side of the huge bed. He would have rolled onto his side but he knew he wouldn't be getting back to sleep. Once his rest was broken there was no reclaiming it.

"The feast isn't today," The king began as he stood. "it's tomorrow night."

Junior deflated a bit and flopped back onto the bed spread-eagle. He pouted at the news while Bowser regarded him. More specifically his head.

_Just as I'd thought, _Bowser mused, _his horns are coming in. I figured if I have them since the curse he'd get them as well. _The king took that moment to reach forward and touch his son's ivory appendages. Junior blinked and touched the half-inch stubs himself.

"What's these, Daddy?" he wanted to know.

Bowser said, "Horns."

"Like yours?" Junior chirped.

"Yes." Bowser answered shortly.

"How come mine are so small?" The boy wondered.

"Because _you're _small." The king explained simply.

Junior stood in the bed and tilted his head. "Will they get big and pointy like yours?"

Bowser pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't appreciate all the questions. It was aggravating.

In a curt tone he replied, "Yes I'm sure they will. Now get out. Go to your room and get dressed."

Junior pouted again and it irked his father to no end. Princes didn't pout, especially not his son and heir. It was unseemly.

"Get that look off your face and do as I say," Bowser ordered crossly.

After transfiguring his pout to a more hopeful expression Junior approached his father and stood as tall as his small spine would allow.

"Can I just stay with you?" He implored. "I don't like to be with my

Again the king sighed. He thought to refuse the boy but then relented. He would indulge his heir, if only for today.

"Go get your clothes." Bowser told him.

Junior broke out in a grin and hurried off to his room. Bowser folded his arms and watched. He was glad the boy idolized him to this degree. It was crucial that he do because how else would the Dark King be able to mold him into a fit successor? Bowser didn't bother making the bed, there were servants for that. Instead he walked to his lavish bathroom and turned on the taps at the sink.

He washed his hands under the running water and then them to his face. In the mirror he smirked. He was a handsome bastard and he knew it. From his tousled thick hair down to his manicured feet he oozed sex appeal. His body was a powerful instrument of control and he made sure to keep it in tune. He had a specific set of unpaid workers tasked with the job of assisting him in maintaining his good looks. _  
_

"Daddy I got my clothes." Junior proclaimed from somewhere in the room.

Bowser left the bathroom and sought out his son. When he saw the outfit the boy picked out he grimaced. Bright gold silk vest and deep maroon and black checkered satin pants with a pair of knee-high blood-red leather boots.

"What the hell is this?" The king demanded with that same scowl on his face. "Couldn't you find something that matched?"

"But they do match, Daddy." Junior insisted.

He held the clothes to his chest and proudly explained, "They're all my favorites. This is my favorite vest, and this is my favorite pants, and this-"

Bowser was exasperated as he said, "Just go find a shirt and pants and shoes that are all the same color."

With a disappointed frown Junior's shoulders dropped but he left the room to do his father's will. He came back with clothes more to the king's liking; plain black pants and a black vest with black boots. The boy's bottom lip was dangerously close to quivering but he knew better than to cry.

Bowser went to his own closet and brought out an outfit similar to his son's. He dressed in the plain black pants fitted to his frame and pulled on his patent lightweight jacket of the same color. He left said garment open deliberately. His boots were heavy and were trimmed in steel. Around his neck the king wore a chain-link medallion of a snake that rested right below his neck, atop his chest. He didn't bother doing his hair, just put on his crown and glanced over at his son. Then he sighed.

Junior's shoes were on the wrong feet. It only showed just how rarely the boy wore them. Also, his crown was all tangled in his top-knot. The king took his heir by the arm and led him into the bathroom.

"Pay attention." He instructed as he set about fixing the boy's hair.

"You're five years old now Junior." Bowser stated. "It's time you did this on your own."

Junior was confused, "But the servants-"

"The servants have done their job. Now it's time you take care of yourself." The king spoke.

Bowser figured the earlier Junior learn independence, the better. He, himself, only used the servants for that which he could not or would not do himself. They cooked and cleaned and attended to desires but not a one of them were allowed to touch his person. Unless they were his whores. He bathed and groomed himself and he figured his son ought to do the same now.

"There." Bowser said, giving his son a gentle but meaningful shove out the bathroom.

Junior marveled at his hair and crown, neatly done up. He looked to his father and reached for his hand. Bowser batted the small appendage away and guided his son out of the bedroom by the small of his back.

Father and son strode to the dining hall without haste. Here the very sun revolved around the Dark King, in essence. Time operated at his command in the Badlands. Knowing this, Bowser made no rush to get to the ornate cherry-oak table. He took up his usual spot at the head and sat with his legs wide open and his back straight. He folded his arms over his chest and waited and called out the name of his head chef. The older man came striding out almost immediately.

"Yes, my liege?" The head chef asked.

Bowser eyed his son playing with the cutlery and said calmly. "Why is there no food on this table?"

"It has yet to be prepared, your highness." The head chef said carefully.

Bowser was still calm as he then asked, "And why is that?"

"Well if I may, my lord, this is earlier than the time around which you usually take your morning meal." The chef explained.

The Dark King knew it was true. It was only about dawn. If Junior hadn't have woken him up, he'd still be in bed until at least eight or nine. That gave his staff a set time by which to have his meal prepared. This morning was an impromptu change in schedule and the staff could hardly be blamed seeing as they didn't know Junior would intrude upon his father. But Bowser didn't care about all that.

"Well I am taking my meal now so go and have it prepared." Bowser ordered brusquely.

The head chef bowed, "Of course, my liege."

Everyone in the castle, including Junior, knew of the Dark King's temper. There had only been a handful of times since the war that he'd flown into a rage and each time it'd been quite nasty. Therefore, everyone did their part to keep the temperamental king pleased. The staff did so by quickly preparing his favored meal and making sure it was brought out to him in a timely fashion.

Bowser smirked down at his plate once it was set in front of him. His meal consisted of large, thick cut of steak so rare done it was almost to the point of being raw. Along with the meat he had a fine gold goblet filled with red wine. It was his customary 'breakfast' and he was quite cross if he didn't get it on time. He stole Moo Moos from the Mushroom Kingdom and bred them in the Badlands just so he could feast on them as much as he liked.

"Stop playing with your food and eat." The king demanded of his son in between bites.

Junior was staring blankly at his own meal of cut fruit and fresh bread. He'd drank his entire glass of milk already but hadn't touched his food. It was his way. The boy couldn't stand fruits or vegetables but Bowser insisted that his diet consist of those things. Junior was an up and coming warrior after all. He was permitted to eat only what would encourage healthy growth and muscle development.

"Daddy." Junior suddenly spoke.

Bowser continued methodically eating his steak but said, "What is it now?"

"Can I go and train now and put the food away until tomorrow's day?" Junior asked.

"No. Eat it now." Bowser told him sharply.

Junior made a face but did as he was told. He knew deep down that there was only so much his father would allow. Some things he had to do. Some things he just couldn't get away with.

When he'd finished eating, the prince hopped down from his perch atop the dining room chair and followed his father to the throne room. Junior kept silent and resisted the urge to cling to some part of the Dark King, be it his larger hand or his rough pants or what have you. Junior knew his father wasn't the touchy type. He tried very hard to contain himself as he watched his father meet with his top magician.

Junior knew the bearded old man was a mortal. He knew his father didn't care for mortals and was cruel to them, but not the magician. Junior didn't know why that was. He didn't see anything special about the balding old grey-skinned man.

_Maybe 'cause the magic man is always doing things for him, that's why Daddy isn't mean to him like the other human beans, _Junior reasoned.

His father had his own logic: Bowser knew he had to put up with this ancient mortal since all of his magicians were killed in the Great War. Well not all, just the good ones. Like Kamek. His skill, coupled with his fervent blind loyalty for the king made his death the only one worth mourning in Bowser's opinion. Now the royal had to make due with the old bat in front of him.

"Is the...project nearly completed?" Bowser asked. He pointedly spoke in that censured manner, for his son was near.

The magician replied, "I'm still working on it. Forgive me, your highness."

_My case in point, _Bowser scowled, _mediocre old croon. So hard to find good efficient help these days. Damn plumber killed off all my assets. _

While the king brooded, the magician turned to Junior and gave the child something. A small golden ring just the size to fit Junior's index finger. The prince took the jewelry from the magician eagerly and beamed.

"It's mine?" He wondered.

The magician nodded. "It is."

"Why?" Junior asked.

He very rarely got things, after all. The magician smiled fondly at Junior as if remembering something from long ago. The man stroked his beard and crouched to match the prince's height. He put both wrinkled hands on the boy's shoulders and Junior stood tall. Junior did like to be addressed in this way, it made him feel important since he didn't have to look up to speak.

"Where I come from," The magician explained, "It is common to receives gifts on your day of birth, and every day following each year after."

Junior tilted his head and studied the ring. It was centered in his palm. He turned back to the magician.

"It is nice, I think." Junior remarked, "But what does it do?"

"It allows you to turn invisible." The elder told him.

Junior was confused. "How?"

"Put it on your finger and you'll disappear. Take it off and you'll re-appear." Was the magician's instructions.

The prince was still not convinced but put the ring in his pocket anyway. He would try it out himself and be the judge of its worth later. For now he had to go because his father was leaving him and he hated to be left behind. Junior told the magician he liked the ring very much and hurried in the king's wake.

The magician stared after the small boy sadly. He knew that was the closest thing he'd get to a 'thank you' from the child. Junior wasn't a horrible boy, he was just taking on his father's ways.

* * *

This was started to be a regular thing. This arguing between my brother and his fiance. I heard them this evening as I was heading downstairs with my bag. I was ready to go but apparently they weren't. Peach was pink in the face, almost moreso than her candy-colored dress. She was all decked out in her gown and gloves and shiny hairstyle but her face reflected no such festivity. Mario was also dressed nicely in his red and blue uniform but he just looked tired. I sighed and stood on the bottom step and waited for them to stop fighting.

"If you feel that way, then don't even go!" Peach cried exasperatedly.

Mario scoffed and said, "I'm not gonna let you go alone."

"I won't be alone, Luigi's going." She shot back.

My brother was about to retort but at that time they both saw me. I kinda wanted to hear what he was about to say. I had an idea but I wanted to hear him say what I thought he would. He didn't. They both quieted and gave me sad looks. Peach ducked her head down and left through the castle doors in a sweep of skirts and indignation.

Mario sighed and told me, "If you want to just leave after this trip I'll understand."

Then he left too. I stood there and frowned. This did not look good. If Mario was telling me to leave early, did that mean the wedding was off? I hoped not. I walked out of the castle behind the two. Daisy had arrived. Just like that I forgot about Peach and Mario for a moment and smiled at her. She smiled back and waved as she got closer. We met on the broad steps of the castle.

"Hey!" She greeted.

She looked lovely in her light blue cotton dress. Like a girl from the fifties or something. The dress was plain and button-down and came to her knees. Her legs were covered in navy hose and she wore her hair in a pretty clip to the side.

"Hey," I greeted back.

"Everything okay?" Daisy asked. "Where's your brother and the princess?"

My smile dropped. I didn't want to ride with them. Peach and Mario. They were at odds and had a negative aura around them. I glanced to our ride. There was only one carriage though, horse drawn and able to seat four. I looked to the royal guard stationed on their horses all around us and got an idea.

"Wait here," I told Daisy.

I shifted my bag over my shoulder and approached one of the uniform-clad guardsmen. He was a human like Mario, they all were. This particular guard knew me. Sort of. We shared a nod every time I left the castle. He was the guard that stood on the fifth step to the left outside the palace. He looked down at me from his seat on his horse and nodded politely.

"Hey." I greeted. "I was wondering if we, a friend and I, could ride one of your horses to Bowser's kingdom. Would that be alright?"

"Of course, Master Luigi. There are two horses there for you and your companion." The guard answered congenially.

I looked to where he was pointing; the two horses were unoccupied and were being led to the royal stables.

I turned to the guard and said before I could stop myself, "We only need one."

At that the guard quirked a blonde brow and said, "I see. Then take only one. But settle yourselves quickly if you will. We'll be departing shortly."

I flushed at the way he eyed me knowingly but thanked him nonetheless. Then I went back to Daisy and took her bag. I put the bags inside the carriage, on the floor across from Mario and Peach's feet. Mario looked at me, mildly interested but still so tired. Peach steadily stared at the deep pink curtains. There was a great amount of distance between her and Mario on the carriage bench.

"What's this?" Mario asked me.

I told him, "Daisy and I are riding horseback to the palace."

"Oh, okay." my brother nodded. He looked as if he understood my reasoning.

He even worked up a mirthful half-smile and said, "You kids have fun then."

I rolled my eyes and before I left the carriage I saw Peach's lips twitch into a whimsical sort of smile for a brief second.

Perhaps there was hope for the two of them yet.

I left the carriage and then went over to fetch the horse the guard was talking about. The steed was big and coal black like the rest of the ones being ridden. I guided it by its reins over to where Daisy stood. She tilted her head as I neared her.

"What's going on?" She wondered. "Aren't we riding in the carriage?"

I shook my head and said sheepishly, "Nah, I kinda wanted give them their privacy."

She nodded. "Oh okay."

Daisy was first to climb on and I followed suit. This time she was all the way next to me. I didn't mind. I put my hands down by her waist, tentatively, and when she took up the reins I wrapped my arms fully around her. She scooted back even more and then directed the horse into line behind the carriage.

* * *

Two guests had arrived.

_Peezy and his lady-friend, _Junior noted. Peasley he didn't mind, but as for his fiance; Junior wasn't too keen on her.

He stood quietly though beside his father as the guests made it into the throne room. As soon as she saw Junior, Peasley's 'lady-friend' strode over and pinched the prince's cheeks between two cold fingers.

"My, my how much you've grown, Bowser Junior." She cooed, "You're almost as handsome as your father now." She added suggestively.

Junior rubbed at his cheek and stuck his tongue out at the slim woman. She frowned and looked to the king. Junior did as well. Fearfully. But to both their surprise, Bowser didn't chide his boy. Instead he smirked approvingly down at him.

"A word in private, Miss Clact?" The King stated more than asked as he turned on his heel and strode towards his study.

Kate Clact didn't even give Peasley a backwards glance as she hastened her steps to catch up with the exiting Lord of the Badlands. Junior was glad to see her gone. He turned to where Peasley was walking aimlessly around the room.

Junior didn't like the throne room. It was big and empty to him. There was too much space. Just the huge expanse of black marble floor, the high ceiling bearing heavy hanging chandeliers, and the row of ornate red velvet and wood chairs on either side of the throne. The throne itself was fit for his ostentatious father. It was a fancy golden and satin and velvet and wood thing, all carved and beautiful. Around the seat's legs was a deep crimson rug. The seat was the highest in the room in that there were fifteen steep steps leading up to it, setting it apart from the other chairs. All around the room there were hanging tapestries, weighty maroon things, as well as rows of unlit torches. Junior didn't come in the throne room often. Being there made him feel extra small.

"Did you come for the feast?" Junior asked the other prince in the room.

Peasley had stopped wandering. On the raised dais below the throne he'd taken a seat in one of the velvet chairs. When Junior addressed him, he stopped staring into space and regarded the boy.

"Not of my own volition." he answered cryptically.

"Huh?" Junior frowned.

Peasley shifted in his seat and leaned forward with his head in his hands.

"It means I didn't choose to come here." he drawled. "I was forced."

Junior could relate. "Somebody made you come?"

Peasley nodded. He shifted again so that his elbows were on his knees and his chin was cradled by the heel of his hands.

"Who made you?" Junior wanted to know.

"The hag." Peasley answered at once. "She dragged me here."

"Your lady-friend?" Junior surmised.

Again Peasley nodded mutely. Junior came to sit at Peasley's feet. His father did not allow him to sit in the seats beside the throne, they were for the members of his court only. From his low position Junior admired the older prince's clothes.

_Peezy is always wearing nice clothes, _he observed. It was true. Peasley was quite conscientious of what he wore and how he presented himself. Today was no exception because the navy pants, matching boots and silk shirt complete with a midnight blue cape reflected his keen sense of style. Peasley didn't seem to be as lively as his dress would make him appear however. He still sat with his body slouched and a bored look on his fair face.

"Do you like her?" Junior asked.

"Hm?" Peasley hummed.

"Your lady-friend." Junior stated, "Do you like her?"

Peasley murmured, "Not particularly."

"Me neither." Junior acceded.

There was a lapse but because of Junior's nature, the silence didn't last long. He soon found another topic of interest.

"Did you want to see my gift?" Junior inquired.

Peasley shook his head.

"It's my birthday." Junior continued anyway, "The magic man gave me this gift. See?" He pulled out his golden ring for emphasis.

Peasley glanced at the ring and quirked a brow. "A bit plain, don't you think?"

"It's a magic ring." Junior boasted.

"Fascinating." Peasley murmured.

Junior could tell the other prince wasn't impressed and frowned. He then smiled because an idea came to him. He slipped the ring onto his index finger and watched Peasley's reaction. As soon as the ring was around his diminutive appendage, Junior was rendered completely invisible to the naked eye. Peasley hadn't looked up though.

"Look, Peezy! I'm invisible, see!" Junior exclaimed.

Peasley sat back in his chair and was about to dismiss the child's outrageous claims only...

"Where did you go?" Peasley asked. He was curiously alert now. "Where are you hiding?"

Junior laughed, unseen, and said, "I'm not hiding, I'm right here, in the front of you!"

When Junior reached out to touch Peasley's leg the older prince leapt to his feet and stepped back. Junior laughed once more before sliding the ring from his finger, rendering himself visible again. Peasley's grin was slow.

"How very curious," Peasley remarked. "Let me see that."

Junior shook his head and replied defensively, "No. It's mine."

Peasley took it anyway and marveled at its effects.

"Give it back!" Junior cried plaintively.

Peasley ignored him and kept pushing the ring onto his pinky finger and pulling it off, phasing in and out of view with growing interest. Junior jumped as high as he could and reclaimed his gift with a pout. He left Peasley then, feeling betrayed. For in his mind, the older royal had breached the lines of their friendship by attempting to take what was his.

Junior left the throne room intending on going to his room. He didn't feel his gift was safe anymore and wanted to put it under his pillow. It was the safest place for it. _Peezy can't get it there, _Junior thought. On his walk, though, he got distracted. While he was passing his father's study he heard the king's voice and stopped to eavesdrop. He couldn't hear much, just bits of words and things he didn't understand. Unfortunately he wasn't good at keeping quiet and his father soon discovered him standing there.

"Shouldn't you be training?" Bowser said testily.

Junior nodded and took one last look at his father and Peasley's 'lady-friend' sitting on the edge of the king's desk. He hurried from the study with his hands balled into fists and his stomach unsettled. Junior had heard one word before he was shooed away and he didn't like it. In fact, he despised it.

Kill.

* * *

Daisy fell asleep. About two hours into the trip she drifted off and I had to take up the reins. The longer we rode, the more comfortable it was to have her against me. I'd pulled her closer and rested my head on her shoulder. Every now and again I'd push a kiss to her temple or cheek. She was asleep and would never know. I think that's what bolstered my resolve. That and the guards were behind us and couldn't see. I knew I was falling for this girl hard. It complicated things. I would be going home soon so how would I see her? How would I go through each day not seeing her? I don't know. I'm sure we'd work something out. Perhaps I could visit her every weekend or something. I didn't want to stop seeing her. I really wanted her to stay in my life. She was good for me.

During the ride I'd stayed awake for fear of missing the castle but I could see now my efforts were unnecessary. The palace was huge. It was more like a fortress. It could fit about three or four of Peach's modest dwellings in it easily. Against the backdrop of the late night and surrounding pitch black forest it stood out. The foundation was stony and white and everything else was a mixture of gold and green and silver. There was a Gothic sort of beauty about it.

I pulled the reins until the horse clopped to a halt and continued to marvel at the enemy's home.

_I suppose I should wake Daisy now, _I thought. I climbed down from the horse first. Everyone in our small party was doing the same. With Daisy in my arms I guided the horse over to the guards. While I was walking towards the carriage the girl started to move. I stopped. She knit her brows in her sleep before opening her eyes. I stared down at her fondly and she met my gaze. Then she realized where she was and with who and blushed.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" She asked in embarrassment.

_Because you look beautiful when you sleep. Because I wanted to hold you. _

I only shrugged and lowered her to the ground. Daisy was slow in taking her arms from around my neck and even slower in bringing her legs down. I wanted to kiss her again. No, I wanted to do more than that.

"Luigi?" She asked.

I knew that expectant look. She must have asked me something and I didn't hear her. How could I? All I could think about was holding her and kissing her and...doing other things. I flushed and swallowed.

"Yeah?" I asked quietly.

"Did you bring the gifts?" She wanted to know.

_Fine time to ask, _I thought wryly. I nodded anyway. I knew I had them. They were in my bag. They were probably wrinkled and smushed but it's the thought that counts. If I wasn't mistaken, I don't think Junior's father is the type to shower his son with toys and delights so the boy ought to be glad for a present, wrinkled and banged up or not.

I noticed that while Daisy and I walked over to the carriage she tended to walk significantly closer to me than usual. It could be because she digs me or it could be because we're in a foreign territory and I'm her only friend here. Either way I enjoyed having her right up under me. It would sound uncomfortable but it wasn't. She and I got to the carriage where Mario and Peach were emerging and I took our bags from the floor. From there we all went to the front doors of the fortress and awaited entrance.

There were no guards outside the castle. I assumed that to be a bit of arrogance on Bowser's part. But then again, who in their right mind would attack the Dark King of all people? He practically had all of the Badlands grovelling at his booted feet. And speaking of the devil, he soon arrived with his entourage of four hooded guards. They flanked him on each side.

The Dark King stepped away from them, towards us. He certainly was looking his finest in his silk shirt and pants and boots with his thick red hair done up neatly. He didn't look particularly 'pretty', like Peasley per say, but his appearance was sharp and masculine. And powerful. He remained blank-faced as he regarded the four of us.

"Welcome to my kingdom," He greeted smoothly, "I trust your trip here was sound?"

Mario only grunted in response. To that Bowser quirked a brow and twitched a smirk but that was all. He held no malice in his tone or expression. If anything he looked a little smug. I could be reading more into the situation though.

"It's quite late, past dinner I'm afraid." The king continued. "I'll have a servant show you all to your rooms and we'll reconvene in the morning."

Bowser looked at all of us briefly but with Peach his gaze lingered. If I hadn't been looking so closely I wouldn't have seen how thoroughly his jade eyes roved over the princess. I would've missed the flash of malevolent hunger that flickered across his features. And I definitely wouldn't have noticed the way Peach saw all this and looked down and away in what was...shame?

Something wasn't right here.

* * *

**A/N: Stay tuned for the next chapter! Big things are upon our cast and crew. Things have officially been set into motion! This is where it's gonna go from T-ish to M. Be warned people, it's going to get dark and when I say that I mean pitch black. No more fluffiness...okay a little bit more between Daisy and Luigi but savor it because it won't last! **

**Oh and please review if it's not too much to ask! I love hearing what you have to say! And I do take your advice and comments into account(which is why things are gonna pick up). Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	12. Chapter 12

**It's been almost a month since I last updated. I apologize. Thanks for sticking with me though. Enjoy this latest chapter!**

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise.**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

"Well he certainly was polite."

Daisy was the first to remark upon the Dark King's cordial behavior and she did so by whispering in my ear. I shivered and nodded. That was totally unexpected, what with the way Bowser carried on at Mario's engagement party. Where was the glaring and the sneering? Surely he hadn't become Mr. Civility overnight, right?

"Maybe this is a good thing," Daisy added.

We were being herded inside now by the servant Bowser sent, the one that was supposed to lead us to our rooms. I considered Daisy's quiet words and frowned.

"Think so?" I asked her.

She shrugged and then yawned. That was the last thing I saw because after I'd stepped past the threshold into Bowser's castle, everything was significantly darker. Almost pitch black. I could see the white shirt of the servant in front of me and Peach's near-luminous white and gold silk skirts but not much else. We headed up some stairs; I felt them under my feet but could hardly see them. Then we headed down a corridor. That's when the servant started splitting us up. Mario and Peach were led to one room, Daisy smiled at me as she was ushered into another right next to theirs, and then I was shown to a door across the hall. Of course when I got inside the room I had to feel around for the bed and stuff. It was kinda like laser tag. Only much creepier.

After I set my bag down beside the bed, I reached forward and felt around for the nightstand. I know I'd seen its outline. Ah, it was there, in front of me. I could feel something on top of it; a lamp. It had a dial on it. I twisted the circular knob and had to blink against the sudden flood of light that entered the room.

_At least it works, _I thought.

Now that I could see, I saw that there really wasn't much to be seen anyway. The room was plain. Just four stone walls, a twin sized bed with white linen sheets and a generic wooden box that served as a nightstand. There was a door to the right, it led to a bathroom. I could see as much since it was opened. But the bathroom was even tinier than the one I had back home. I wonder when Bowser got plumbing integrated into his castle. Oh well. Since there wasn't anything to look at here, I guess I should get some sleep.

I kicked off my trainers and slid them under the bed, then laid down on my side under the cool sheets. Not long after I reached over to turn off the lamp did I shut my eyes and try to rest.

* * *

I couldn't sleep. Around two or three hours after I laid down I was acutely aware of this. Maybe it was the castle; it wasn't exactly welcoming. I mean, it was the Dark King's palace after all. The main enemy of most of Mushroom World's inhabitants. Whatever the reason, there was no going back to that dreamless state of slumber for me now. I was too alert, too restless. I sat up and scratched my arm.

_So what to do? _

If this were to happen at Peach's castle, I might go exploring. Just walk around and see where my late night listlessness would take me. Obviously I couldn't do that here. This place might be booby-trapped or something. _A midnight stroll in the Dark King's home might just be the death of me_, I thought wryly. I stretched my arms overhead and then bent down to rummage through my bag. There were the gifts for Junior and of course my clothes in there, but I was looking for my comics. I'd packed some of them. Good thing I had, too. I was losing more and more of my drowsiness as the seconds wore on. I had just slid one of my latest issues from the depths of my backpack when there was a knock on my door. I frowned but got up to see who could it be.

_Who else besides me was up this late? _

"Hey Luigi. I hope I didn't wake you?"

The person was so unsure they voiced the last part as a question more than a concern. I smiled at Daisy and shook my head.

"I was already up," I told her, "What is it?"

She was barefoot and dressed in one of those white cotton gowns, the kind with the high collar. Her hair was down and frizzy. She must have been sleeping bad or something. And she was fidgeting again; she had to be nervous. She only did that when she was nervous.

"Would it be okay if I um. " She started. "Well I couldn't sleep and it's storming and the room I'm in is huge and creepy."

It was storming? How come I didn't notice? Well I guess I could chalk it up to the fact that there aren't any windows in this room.

"You wanna come in?" I asked her.

She smiled shyly and nodded. I stepped aside and she walked past me hesitantly. When I closed the door she was only half-way to the bed. I smiled then in spite of my tiredness. Daisy crawled into the bed and I followed her. After she got herself settled, I laid down too and put some distance in between her body and mine. This was not well-thought out at all. That suddenly hit me. Now not only was I wide awake, but there was a beautiful girl right behind me.

_Dear lord what was I thinking, _I lamented.

I laid there until I was sure Daisy was asleep, then I sat up. It took some courage for me to turn and face her. She really was lovely. Lying there, with her hair all over the place. My heart quit racing and I smiled fondly. I reached down and gathered her long dark hair in one hand and moved the mass of waviness away from her face. In and out she breathed deeply. I moved my hand from her hair down her jaw. Over her chin and bottom lip I ran my thumb but was careful not to apply too much pressure. I didn't want her to wake up. That would just be awkward, not to mention hard to explain.

I leaned down and kissed her cheek. Very gently. Then I kissed the corner of her lips. That was as much as I could do for now. I was starting to get carried away. While hot for a totally different reason than the effects of the storm raging outside, I laid and turned away from Daisy.

Eventually I think I fell back asleep.

* * *

The Dark King's smirk that was so prominent upon first waking up this morning died on his lips. He'd had quite a sensual dream (those were much better than the nightmares) but when he rolled over he saw that it was not, in fact, a sultry blonde lying next to him: instead it was his little boy, curled up beside his chest. Bowser's expression melted into that of disappointed exasperation. He fell onto his back against the pillows and gazed up at the ceiling. It really didn't surprise Bowser that Junior had snuck into bed with him again. There was a storm last night after all. The boy was terrified of storms.

_I'll have to rid him of that fear, _Bowser noted, then lazily added, _some other time though._

Then the king's smirk was back. _At last my plans have been put into motion, _he grinned. _Now all I have to do is bide my time. Hell I'm glad I managed to restrain myself. When I saw her, damn it took everything for me not to... All that training in self-control actually paid off; maybe I shouldn't have killed the old adviser who suggested I take them a while back. _The king sat up and stretched one arm across his chest, then did the other. _I might not be able to do anything to her right now, but soon I won't have to hold back anymore. _

"Good morning, Daddy." Junior greeted as he climbed onto his father's bare back.

The boy had his arms wrapped round Bowser's neck and his cheek pressed to his father's but the king noticed none of this. He was too busy fantasizing about what he'd be doing to a certain someone in only a matter of days. With his boy on his back, Bowser strode over to his closet to pick out his clothes for the day. From their hangers he pulled his custom black jacket. Still un-bothered by the child clinging to his neck, Bowser went over to his dresser and took out the rest of his outfit: plain black cotton pants and a shirt of the same color. It was training garb and Bowser had deliberately dressed down this morning. He pushed his feet into his combat boots and slid a dagger into the looped holster at his waist. The dagger was a beautiful sapphire thing, mostly for show. He could kill an enemy with his bare hands if he needed to.

"Alright get off me, you little monkey." Bowser told his son half-heartedly.

With great slowness Junior slid down his father's back and let his small bare feet sink into the carpet. The five-year old folded his arms and furrowed his brows plaintively.

"I like to be on your back. 'Cause you're so big and tall and I can see everything!" He claimed.

Bowser rolled his eyes but couldn't really get mad at the boy. He was in too good a mood. The Dark King couldn't chase the grin off his lips for all the money in the world. He just loved it when things were going his way.

"Go and get dressed," He told his son, "Today is a _very _special day."

Junior blinked owlishly and asked, "Because of the feast?"

Bowser only smirked harder and said, "Yeah sure. Because of the feast. That's right."

He shooed his heir away and went to the bathroom to wash his face. As he cleaned his teeth, he imagined sinking those bright whites into tender flesh. He thought distantly of taking soft skin into his mouth, between his lips, and biting down on it hard. Damn he was in a good mood.

"Daddy wait!" Junior called out.

Bowser was out in the hall now, striding towards the dining room. Vaguely he registered that his son was trying to catch up with him but he didn't stop or slow down. Junior was at his side not too long after and that was when the king looked down and appraised him. He was dressed in cotton as well, burgundy pants and vest with a white shirt underneath. His hair was tied in a neat knot and his crown was lopsided but he was learning. And fast. Bowser sported a prideful half-smile.

_I knew you would not disappoint me my heir. _

At the long table Bowser took up his place at the head while Junior climbed up into his seat to his father's right. There were two old thick tomes stacked in the chair for the little prince. He'd done that himself. Equality was something he already delighted in at the tender age of five, even if he didn't know it yet. He was always striving to be on par with those around him and sometimes despised his own smallness.

While Bowser chowed down on his usual meal, Junior swung his still bare feet back and forth and patted his hands repetitively on the table. Even that didn't aggravate the king like it normally would. Junior wasn't eating though. He was anxious for his guests to come down.

Of his father he entreated, "Can I go and see where everybody is?"

"No." The king answered shortly.

Junior began to climb down anyway and said, "But I think that maybe they got lost or maybe they don't know when to wake up and um, maybe they don't know that their food is down here."

Bowser breathed out a sigh through his nose and reached over towards his son. He grabbed the boy, who was now on the ground again, by the scruff oh his collar and plopped him back down in his seat. Junior let his shoulders drop but he got the message.

* * *

The first thing I noticed when I woke up this morning was that Daisy was gone. Hm. How late did I sleep? I made the bed shortly after I arose and went to the bathroom to get dressed. When I got downstairs, I could smell food. Was that...steak? I let my nose guide me towards the smell and found the dining hall. It was past the throne room, to the left. This palace was really huge. I'd missed a lot yesterday since it was so dark. The place was actually pretty nice. Anyway, when I got to the dining room, everybody was already there and eating.

_Talk about embarrassing, _I thought dismally.

"Good morning, Lu!" Junior beamed up at me.

He wasn't really eating, just pushing his food around on his plate. He tried to stand up and come over to me but his dad yanked him back down into his seat. I then glanced from him to Daisy. She wasn't eating either. Did she wait for me? There was even a spot next to her with a plate in front of it. I smiled gently.

"Talk about fashionably late," She whispered playfully as I sat down.

I shrugged. The meal was nothing special, just a bowl of porridge and berries with a glass of milk to the side. The steak I smelled earlier was coming from Bowser. He was dining on steak and red wine. I frowned. _Steak and wine? For breakfast? That's odd. But at the same time I really can't see the Dark King feasting on dainty little muffins and cream-cheese bagels. I guess it fits him. In a weird way. _

"Lu, you must have been so tired," Junior reasoned, "That's how come you are the most late, huh?"

I shrugged in response and stirred at my porridge. Junior was saying something else, probably to me, but I wasn't listening. After a while of his rambling Bowser addressed him.

"Eat." Was the king's monosyllabic order.

Junior pursed his lips and quieted. He did as he was told. Without him chattering, there wasn't much noise at all. The only sounds were the little clinks of everyone's spoons against the china bowls and the faint noises of work from the servants in the kitchens just beyond the dining room. Nobody had anything to say. Mario and Peach weren't even looking at each other.

_But she's looking at Bowser, _I noticed. _What's that about? _

It was like a game between them. Bowser would stop in his methodical cutting and chewing and swallowing to pass a dark smirk at the princess. Peach would catch it just in time and would flush, then look down into her glass of milk. Bowser would grin knowingly and take a sip of his wine and go back to eating. And then they would do it all again. It was strange. Too bad Mario was too busy wolfing down his food to notice. I don't think he'd be too happy at seeing this all play out. I didn't know what to make of it myself. I turned from them to Daisy. She was nearly done. I saw how she separated her food, she'd pushed the berries away from the porridge. I think she was saving them for last. I was right, too. When she'd finished her oatmeal, she took a bright purple cluster of fruit and balanced it on her spoon, then brought the silver utensil to her lips. I watched, enraptured, as she worked the piece of berry over in her mouth. I imagined she was rolling the fruit over her teeth and moving it around.

_If I kiss her right now I bet I'll be able to taste it on her tongue _

"The hell?" I frowned.

I'd said that to myself but Daisy was so close to me she heard it. And she turned. And she blushed bright red when she saw how hard I was staring at her. It was almost as if she knew what was really on my mind. No, that's impossible. I'm not that transparent. Well I really hope I'm not.

"I have a lot of work to do." Bowser said after he finished. He got up from the table and started to walk off. Over his shoulder he added, "The palace and its amenities are at your disposal."

Mario snorted after the king left and said, "Some host. He's just gonna leave us here?"

"Oh don't act so slighted, Mario." Peach murmured, "You do things like that all the time."

And just like that they were arguing. I sighed. Junior looked at them worriedly and then stared at me.

"How come they are talking to each other so mean?" He wondered.

I stood and stepped away from the table. To Junior I said, "They're just arguing. It's what married people do sometimes."

_All the time, more like it. _

Junior hopped down from his seat even though he hadn't eaten all of his food. He came around the table and stood beside me. Daisy stacked her bowl and spoon back onto her empty plate and stood up. She turned away from me and smiled kindly at Junior. The boy blinked owlishly but didn't smile back.

"My daddy says Mario is bad. Is that why he's talking to the princess so mean?" Junior asked me.

I shook my head and told him, "No. They're just arguing."

_And glaring and raising their voices _

Junior frowned over at the fussing couple and then looked back up at me. He grinned mischievously and dug into his pocket. He pulled out a golden ring and showed it to me.

"Look Lu! It's a magic ring!" He declared, "The magic man gave it to me for my birthday. Did you get me a gift too? The magic man said that's what happens on my birthday; I can have a gift."

"Yeah," I answered. "It's uh, upstairs."

"Can we go and get it?" Junior asked.

I nodded. When I looked back at Daisy she'd gotten over her embarrassment from earlier and. She smiled at me but it wasn't a merry expression; it faded fast. I was confused at that but wordlessly started walking to the stairs with her. By the time we reached them, she'd slipped her hand in mine.

"I'm worried about them." She whispered to me.

_Oh, so that's what's wrong _

I knew she was talking about Mario and Peach. I wanted to tell her not to worry, that they'd work this out eventually but the longer I stayed here in this world, the more I started to think that maybe that wasn't so true. Would they really work this out? Or would they be carrying around that strife and dissension for the rest of their marriage? Was there even gonna _be_ a marriage?

"So how old are you Junior?" Daisy asked.

She was still upset over the royal couple but wouldn't say more on the subject. I was sort of glad. It depressed me to see my brother fighting with his fiance like that. I didn't like to dwell on the negatives.

"Five." Junior replied quietly.

He spoke more to me though as he tried to take the stairs two steps at a time. "Guess what, Lu? I have to do things on my own, now that I'm five and very much bigger. That's what my daddy says."

"That's uh, that's cool. " I murmured.

Daisy laced her fingers in mine and kept them that way even after we got to my guest room. It was only when I pulled my bag from beside the bed that she released my hand. I pulled the wrinkled bag and box from my booksack and handed the presents to Junior. The boy's face lit up. I stood beside Daisy and watched him open the two gifts in turn. Daisy had a soft, fond smile while watching the prince. I guess he reminded her of her cousins or something.

"I like these very much!" Junior exclaimed.

He stacked the sketch pad, box of pencils and puzzle in the wrinkled bag and held it to his chest like a precious treasure. Daisy was still smiling.

She said, "Well if you like it you should tell Luigi thank you. He picked it out for you."

Junior looked befuddled and said, "Huh?"

"Didn't your 'daddy' teach you to say thank you when people give you things?" Daisy asked carefully.

Junior shook his head. His crown was loose and almost slipped off so he put up a hand to steady it. I considered the fact that his dad hadn't taught him to express gratitude and frowned. _How very typical._ Daisy was looking upset again. Like this was the saddest thing she'd ever heard.

"I have to put these away now." Junior said. "Come with me, Lu."

I looked at Daisy and she pushed her hair behind her ear. Then she took my hand again. I liked this, but I wanted to do more than hold her hand. I wanted to kiss her more and hold her longer. _Maybe if you'd grow a pair and just do it already instead of thinking about it. _No, I blinked, now was not the time nor the place to go exploring the reaches of our relationship. We were at Bowser's castle. We had to be on guard. He might be up to something.

Junior took us downstairs to his room. It was a straight shot past the front doors and the throne room. His room was on the right, just beside that set of double-doors at the end of the same hall. I'm assuming those were 'His Majesty's' chambers. Daisy and I stepped into the boy's room and watched him slide the bag of gifts under his lavish little twin-sized bed. Daisy frowned.

"Don't you like your gifts?" She asked.

Junior stepped away from his bed and pulled the top sheet down so that it dragged the floor. _Oh I get it. He's hiding them. Makes sense. He's probably not allowed to have toys or something. _

"I do like them." Junior claimed.

Daisy asked, "Then why did you put them under the bed?"

"So my daddy can't see them." He said simply. "My daddy took all my fun things and burned them away."

He got down on his knees and crawled under the bed. When he emerged again, he had a wooden horse and a clay soldier in each hand. He stood and presented them to me proudly.

"I still have these 'cause my daddy didn't never see them." He spoke.

Daisy smiled wistfully and said, "How very clever."

"You want me to show you around the castle, Lu, so you can see everything?" Junior suggested.

"Yeah, sounds good." I murmured absently.

Junior paused. "Um, I can't show you some places though. My daddy won't 'low it."

_That's understandable. Bowser wouldn't want us roaming all over his castle. It's a wonder he even let us stay in this instance. _I still thought this whole trip was highly suspicious.

"I can't show you the war room, or the study, or the room with the girls." Junior continued, "Those are awful limits, my daddy said."

Daisy and I shared a look. It didn't take a genius to know what the 'room with the girls' probably entailed. But like the steak and wine of a breakfast, the notion of him having a harem seemed to fit old Bowser's nature.

* * *

I noticed a few things on that tour. For one, Junior sure knew his way around the palace. The place was huge but Junior expertly guided us upstairs and downstairs and all around. He even had a few words, or sometimes more than a few, to say about each area. Another thing I noticed was that this young prince held a lot of power and influence over the people in the castle. All of the servants, maids, kitchen staff and what have you that we encountered were human. And they all feared Bowser Junior to some extent; well not so much him as his father. They had a skittish look come over them whenever the pint-sized royal entered a room. As for the last thing I noticed on the impromptu tour, well that was the most surprising. It was the fact that a place of tranquility, of simplistic beauty existed in the Dark King's palace. That place was where we ended the tour and were seated now. In the royal gardens, just beside the courtyard.

It wasn't really a garden, per say. The only vegetation here were of five-foot hedges that ran along the perimeter of the space. The ground was a patchwork of cobbled white stone and in the center of the boxy area was a fountain. That in itself was as impressive as it was lewd. No matter how you looked at it, the giant marble statue within the stone fountain was anything but artistic. It was a slim nude woman with her hair piled atop her head, one hand covering the spot between her legs and her other arm cradled up over her chest. Actually, from an architectural perspective, it was well-crafted. But the thing that turned me off was that the woman bore an uncanny resemblance to Mushroom Kingdom's own crown princess.

"Is that..." Daisy trailed in awe as she saw it.

"It very likely is." I answered her unfinished question.

She and I stood in the center of the gardens and stared at the thing. It looked like the princess, but at the same time not really. I'd never seen _that _kind of look in her eyes before. And the statue-woman was biting down on the corner of her lip. The princess never did that. Now Daisy on the other hand did it sometimes. In fact she was doing it now. She was looking at the statue all worried and with knitted eyebrows. My mind threw me for a loop then. Instead of the princess, an image of Daisy in a similar state of undress flashed in my head. I frowned and blinked rapidly as if that'd do any good.

"I think we should go somewhere else." Daisy murmured apprehensively.

I swallowed and looked away. "Yeah. We should."

Junior said, "But I have to show you something first!"

I looked down at him. He had his lips pursed and his brows furrowed plaintively. The cute-factor didn't affect me much. I was about to suggest we leave again. I mean really; Bowser kept a statue like _that _out in the open with his kid around? It was disgusting. But Daisy surprised me. She left my side and went to sit down at then bench, one of four long stone seats that surrounded the fountain. She had her back to said fountain.

"It's okay Luigi, we should humor him." She smiled uneasily, "Besides, if we face this way, we won't have to look at..."

She didn't need to finish that. I came over and sat down beside her. Then I turned to Junior.

"Okay, what do you want to show us?"

Junior beamed and reached a hand up to remove his crown. As a result, his long tangled hair came tumbling out of its loose knot. He extended the gold ornament to me.

"Here, hold this Lu." he instructed.

I took the little flame-shaped thing and cupped it in my hands. Then I watched him. He spread his feet apart and raised his hands up high. One, two, three lithe flips he did in a row, then turned on his heel and somersaulted around the garden. He used one of the empty benches as leverage and kicked off into a back-flip. When he landed in a crouch, he grinned.

"Now watch this." He said, "It's my special trick."

Junior rose to standing position and stretched his hands out in front of him, palms up. First his small hands began to get red, then redder still. They turned bright glowing white and the lines on his palms were no longer visible. Then his hands were totally ablaze. Daisy gasped and her eyes widened. Junior took that as a sign of his doing something wrong. He dropped his hands quickly, letting the flames that engulfed them die down completely in the process.

"How did you do that?" Daisy breathed.

Her expression and tone were that of bewildered fascination. Junior put his now-normal hands behind his back and answered her shyly. His attitude kept seeming to change when he talked to her as opposed to me. He was more closed-off with Daisy.

"I just think about the fire and where I want it to go." He said simply. "My daddy taught me how."

Daisy tilted her head and remarked, "I see. Doesn't that hurt?"

Junior blinked owlishly and shook his head. I handed him his crown back while Daisy nudged me. She whispered to me, told me that she thought Junior was awfully talented to be so little. I nodded but the news put me on edge. If Junior was so 'talented' and he's only five, I would imagine Bowser was even more skilled. That worried me. What kind of power was this king really wielding? Now that I think, Bowser was able to breath fire when he was a great, hulking beast back then, before the curse. Maybe this is an altered form of that same power?

"Excuse me your Majesty." A soft voice called out.

All of us looked to the right, near the entrance to the garden. That was where the voice had come from. It belonged to a young woman with dark skin and eyes and neck-length, coarse black hair. She was dressed in a plain brown shift of a dress like a lot of the other servants we'd encountered. Over her dress was a white smock. She came over to the prince. I saw then that she was barefoot.

"Come your Majesty," She said, "It's time for your magic lessons."

Junior frowned and replied, "I don't want to go."

"But your Majesty, you like your magic lessons." The servant stated, confused.

"I do but I want to stay with Lu." Junior responded.

The servant girl looked to be at a loss. She had that same dreadful fear eating at her now like the rest of the staff.

She said in a distressed and urgent tone, "Come now, your Majesty. Let me take you to your lessons. The king would be upset if he found out you weren't there. You don't want to anger him, do you?"

Junior let his shoulders drop and reluctantly shook his head. He reached up his hand and let the servant lead him away from the gardens and back into the palace. Without the boy here to chat or show off, Daisy and I were left in relative silence.

* * *

**A/N: More is on the way. Please tell me what you think so far. Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	13. Chapter 13

**Enjoy everybody!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise.**

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**Chapter Thirteen**

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"I really am worried about them," Daisy confessed.

She was talking about Mario and Peach, I realized. She was also telling the truth: I could see the evidence of her concern in her downcast, melancholic gaze and soft-spoken voice. I was also worried about my brother but not to the extent that she was. I didn't let my empathy overwhelm me, affect my mood. There was nothing my worrying could do to help the situation so why bother? That was my logic. But I didn't tell Daisy this. I didn't think it would make her feel better. What _could_ I say? I thought about it right there in the 'garden' where Daisy and I sat. We were still there, long after Junior had been taken to his lessons, sitting with our backs to the fountain and its lurid statue. Finally I came up with something.

Quietly I said, "Things might not be so bad as they seem; they still love each other."

_Do they really? _

"I suppose you're right." Daisy acceded. "What do you think is the problem?"

I really had no idea. As much as I'd heard them going at it these last few days, the source of those arguments was never very clear. There were a few things I could guess and say started the fighting, but those guesses were case-specific. Such as, the time they were arguing in the dining hall had started over the meal choice. But I couldn't give Daisy an all-encompassing explanation for the recurring dissension between the royal couple.

"Married people things?" I said feebly.

Daisy's lips melted out of that perturbed scrunch and eased into a smile. It was a beautiful thing to see. For once I was glad I was such an observer. There were so many wonderful things about this girl that I'd miss if I weren't paying attention.

"I think it's more than that, Luigi." She responded wryly, "Maybe. Maybe they're so busy talking at each other that neither one of them is listening to what the other has to say."

That was one way to look at /it. I did think that communication was at a minimum between the engaged pair. If Mario was the same as when he was living with me, then he was probably not the most expressive of people. With a dry smile I considered her words and tone.

"You sound like my old therapist." I told her.

_Please don't take that the wrong way _

"Therapist?" She asked curiously.

Oh right, she probably isn't familiar with that term. I pondered how best to describe the word. This is what I settled on:

"A therapist is a type of doctor that deals with illnesses of the mind."

"And you had one of those...illnesses?" She asked carefully.

I turned to face her and said, "Yeah. Sort of. I was just really sad."

_Just really sad? So the night in the car with the pills, that was just a bit of sadness..._

I lowered my eyes and blinked. Okay, so I was drowning in depression. But that was then. I was over it now. And Daisy didn't have to know about that. I didn't want her worrying about something else when she had so much already bothering her.

"What made you so sad?" Daisy wanted to know.

Now I straddled the bench we were on so that I could face her fully. I just became aware of how nice she looked today. She had on another plain cotton dress, button-down and yellow. Only this dress was different, it wasn't a dress at all. The bottom of it ended near her upper thigh and instead of fanning out at the hem, it evolved into shorts. An all-in-one jumper sort of thing. It was cute on her. And it left her legs exposed, that was nice. Her legs were so beautiful to me. I could stare at them all day. But that would offend her, I think. Or embarrass her. Either way it would make her uncomfortable so I stopped ogling those pretty slender things and looked up at her face. She'd pulled half her dark hair up today and left the rest hanging. This girl was lovely.

"Luigi?" She frowned.

"Yeah?" I murmured.

Daisy rubbed one of her arms, also bare like her legs, and said, "I uh, asked what made you so sad. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it though."

"No it's fine." I answered. "The thing was, for a long time I set my heart on a woman who belonged to someone else. She was all I ever thought about and I was sure I was in love with her and that I'd have her one day; that day never came. To be honest, I don't think I ever crossed her mind. Not once."

Of course I'd suspected this was the case long ago. But to actually admit them out loud gave me a sense of closure on the issue. No more was I plagued with the obsession that was my desire for the princess. I never really loved her, now I knew. And now I could truly move on.

"That's terrible." Daisy whispered.

I shrugged and told her, "It is what it is. And anyway, I fell in love with someone else. Someone better, even."

Daisy looked stricken for a moment. I don't think she realized I was talking about her just yet. I couldn't help but smile because that's how I knew she cared about me, too. I didn't think too long about what I did next, lest I think myself out of doing it: I kissed her. Straddling the bench made this act easier. All I had to do was lean forward and tilt her chin up a little bit, just like that, and kiss her. Her mouth parted, in surprise most likely, but then it closed under mine and she started moving those soft lips against my own. Her tongue was warm and tasted faintly like milk.

It was too good.

I could feel myself getting turned on though. It didn't take much, not when it came to her. But I knew my own limits and this was it. If I didn't stop kissing her, I'd be all over her. I wanted to do so many things to her, _good_ things mind you, but Bowser's castle was not the place. And I also didn't want to move so fast. A kiss was enough.

_If she doesn't stop looking at me like that, though, I might reconsider_

Quickly I averted my eyes but kept my fingers under her chin. When I turned back to her I could handle staring straight into her light eyes. She was blushing and breathing shallowly.

"Did you mean it?" She whispered. "You...love me?"

"I think so." I told her candidly.

She grinned and said, "Good. I think I love you, too."

Then she was the one who wrapped her arms around my neck and covered my mouth with her own. She was good at this. Better than me. Her tongue made me nervous at first, I'd never kissed a girl with tongue before. But this all felt so nice, so good. Mm. A little too good. I was aware of my hands moving down her waist but there wasn't a thing I could do to stop them. I just wanted to pull her close, right into my lap. Yeah, that was good.

No. Not good.

I had to force myself away from her mouth and look at the situation objectively again. Bowser's castle, bad time, horrible place. Right. I looked at the ground and evened out my breathing and my heartbeat. When I again faced Daisy I was surprised at how close we were. The girl really was in my lap. At some point she'd taken to straddling the bench as well so her legs were brushing mine.

..._Damn..._

This was exactly what I meant by things moving fast. I didn't want to do that anymore. Not here. I wanted to take my time with this girl, she deserved real love and that's what I wanted to give her. Not something quick and sloppy. Even if it felt so good it wasn't the right way to go about things. I swallowed and crossed my leg over the bench. Now both feet were firmly on the ground in front of me. Daisy noticed this and looked hurt for a fraction of a second. I didn't like that. As she was crossing her leg over I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. Her eyes widened and then a slow smile broke out on her face. She took my hand and laced her fingers through it, then scooted next to me. With her under the crook of my arm, I sat and thought about what I'd do next.

Was I still leaving after the wedding? Probably not. How could I? I've never ever been in love before but I knew this was legit, so there was no way I was letting the opportunity to embrace it pass me by. I couldn't picture my life without Daisy in it, as cheesy as that sounds. I wanted her to be with me every day. I wanted to keep spending time with her. But I didn't want to bring her to Brooklyn. God, no. Not to my place. It wasn't good enough for a girl like her. She deserved the best because she had a great heart and worked so hard. She was selfless, maybe not totally so but enough to take on the responsibility of raising her two cousins. That said a lot about her character to me. I wanted to go someplace, just the two of us, but that just wasn't possible. Hm. What to do then?

I guess I'll figure it out. Right now I was content to just hold her and kiss the top of her head and thank whatever deity or star alignment or twist of fate that allowed us to meet in the first place. I could honestly say it was the best thing that had happened to me ever, in my whole life.

* * *

_Just do it, you big dummy! Just tell her you're sorry! _

He couldn't though. Not for the life of him. But there she was, standing in the bathroom fixing her hair. It was the perfect opportunity to apologize, to try to make things right between them again. God knows he wanted to. He hated the arguing and the fighting. He didn't want to fuss, he wanted to make love. She was his fiancee, he wanted to dote on her and talk sweet to her and show her how much he cared about her but lately all they ever did was fight. Now he had this chance, this moment of silence and peace that he could use to put the situation to rights.

But he couldn't.

Deep down in his throat the right words were stuck like a clump of hair in a drainage pipe, and no amount of expert plumbing could dislodge them. All he could do was stand there as a wraith and watch her primp her honeyed hair. It was humiliating for him. He, who had felled great beasts and mighty foes, couldn't even choke out two little words. It was pathetic.

He fiddled with his white gloves and continued to watch her. He was in the open doorway to the room, standing unseen. There was no joy in the princess' movements, he noticed, as she deftly maneuvered her locks of hair this way and that. She wasn't happy. It made him unhappy as a result but coming to grips and admitting his faults was the hardest thing to do right then. He sighed.

The noise alerted the princess at once and she looked to the door. Normally she wasn't so high-strung and jumpy, but being in the Dark King's palace was definitely getting to her. Not in a good way. She felt as if the king was watching her. Watching her with those same hungry eyes as he had at breakfast. It unnerved her but also stirred something inside as well. Of that she was not proud but the fact was she had some tension when it came to the infamous Lord of the Badlands. When she heard a heavy sound, a sigh, she looked to the door. It was Mario.

She dropped her hands and regarded him blank-faced. "Did you want something?"

Mario opened his mouth and then shut it once more. "No."

Then he left the room. Peach frowned. He was such a mystery to her. Ever since the war. It changed him so much and she was waiting for him to get back to his normal, jovial self. But the longer she lived, the more she feared he'd never be that way again.

* * *

I really underestimated Bowser's influence. He obviously had a lot if this many people would show up to a feast of his. There were so many different creatures of all sizes and colors. It was like being at the engagement party all over again. Only this castle was darker and hotter and foreign. I kept my arm around Daisy's waist partly to be there for her but also to keep myself grounded. She and I stood by a wall in the enormous ballroom. There was a torch near my head and several more along each of the walls. Hanging from the ceiling were dozens of big black chandeliers. The floor was also black and shiny enough to see my distorted visage in it. I looked up from the floor and down at Daisy.

She was looking beautiful as usual. Tonight she wore a black silk dress that reminded me of something out of a Japanese movie. It was short with a high collar and thin, white flowers embroidered along it. Her hair was piled up with a silver clip and an elaborate twist. Some still hung on each side of her temple, though. Lovely.

"I like your. You look nice." I told her.

_Still can't get it out right, _I thought dismally.

She smiled though and said, "Thank you. I rented the dress. I couldn't find anything nice enough to wear."

"That's okay," I said immediately.

Daisy tilted her head up at me and said, "You look. Um nice too."

"I didn't know it'd be this formal." I said in excuse for my severe state of under-dress.

Jeans, a white t-shirt, my trainers and my black jacket was what I wore. Compared to everyone else, I was an outsider. But there was nothing I could do. Maybe if Mario hadn't been at odds with Peach I may have approached him about some dress clothes to borrow. But as it was...

"Isn't that your friend?" Daisy stated.

I looked over to where she was gazing and fought a hard grin. Ah Peasley. The young prince and I locked eyes and he beamed. Then he started striding right over to me. It was his outfit that made me nearly bust a gut. He had on this ridiculous gold =waistcoat, a white silk shirt underneath that was more of a blouse, and tailored gold pants that fit him like a second skin. And let's not forget that luxurious golden crown on his neat, hanging hair. To finish it all off, he wore a pair of patent gold leather boots that absolutely shimmered. A gold chain wallet hung from his pocket. It was most likely for show, as everything with Peasley was, since I knew his kingdom wasn't a rich one. His clothes suited him better than I would've thought.

"Luigi, my dear friend. I did not expect to see you here; perhaps the night won't be so dull as I imagined." The prince said once he got close to me.

He didn't hesitate to lay his hand on my shoulder as he spoke. I quirked a brow and inched it off of me. Peasley was unperturbed. He turned from me to Daisy and smirked.

"And you've brought a guest." He observed.

The young man took Daisy's hand and laid a chaste kiss on the back of it. Daisy flushed.

"Prince Peasley of Bean Kingdom, pleased to make your acquaintance." He said elegantly. "And you are?"

Beside me she said, "Daisy. Nice to meet you as well."

Peasley tilted his head and got this look on his face. It was like he was trying to figure something out. Or remember something. Whatever it was soon came to him because his green eyes alighted and he grew very solemn. I didn't know what that was about and Peasley didn't explain. He turned to me.

"A word in private, if I may, Luigi." He spoke quietly.

His eyes never left Daisy, nor did his wily smirk return. For a moment Daisy looked stricken. I didn't know why that was, either. Maybe she was panicking at the thought of being left alone. I know I would. There were so many strangers here tonight. It was worse than the engagement party; for one, most of the people here were as shady as the old Dark King himself. I didn't want to leave her but I knew Peasley had something important to tell me.

"I won't be long," I told her apologetically.

She said lightly, "It's fine, Luigi. I'll go and see what the prince and princess are up to."

Before I left her though I kissed her cheek. Because I felt like it. And it felt good. But after that I hurried off behind Peasley.

It would seem the prince is popular no matter where he went, as was my older brother. As Peasley walked with that inimitable swagger, he threw nods of recognition here and there. The prince would run his hand through his hair and, every now and then, smirk and wink at various women. And men.

_That man, I swear _

Finally Peasley stopped at a corner, one along the same wall as the double oak doors that led to the dining hall. It was darker in this little nook and there weren't many people nearby. I'm sure this was what Peasley was going for. I regarded him and noticed that the mirth from a few seconds ago was gone now. He appeared to be extremely somber.

"What's wrong, Peasley?" I asked immediately.

My friend blinked up at me and said tightly, "It's the Dark King: he's planning something evil."

"How do you know?" I wondered.

"He's been in too good a mood as of late," Peasley said matter-of-factly.

"God forbid," I murmured wryly.

Peasley chided, "I do not jest, my friend. He's up to no good. Trust me."

I sobered at once and said, "I do Peasley. So what do you think he's planning? Is this feast a ruse? Is he trying to trap Mario?"

Here I was voicing my own suspicions, the ones I'd harbored since we first arrived here. Peasley gazed off to the side contemplatively.

"I can't be sure," He said at last. "But whatever it is, I know that nagging witch is in on it."

"Who?" I hooted.

Peasley made a face and said scornfully, "My _fiancee_." _  
_

That made me wonder, "Why do you figure she has something to do with all this?"

"She's been meeting with the Dark King alone, as of late." Peasley stated, "Not that it bothers me in the slightest but it's awfully suspect, wouldn't you agree?"

I nodded. "But Peasley, if you dislike and mistrust her so much, why are you marrying her?"

Peasley's face went blank and he said cryptically, "It's been arranged. Apparently my parents willed this union to be so."

The way he said it, though, led me to believe he didn't buy this reasoning for one minute. That worried me. It meant that something crooked was going on and that somebody else was trying to hitch him with this woman. But who would do that and how? I knew Peasley, if he didn't want to do something, changing his mind was like trying to move the stars. Maybe somebody's blackmailing him. I hated to know that my friend had to deal with these kinds of problems.

I looked up and coincidentally saw the Dark King. He looked incredibly bored but I guess that constituted a good mood for him, if anything. Standing beside him was a tall, blue-skinned male with a long black goatee. His hair was also long and slicked back. He had the most sinister yellow eyes I'd ever seen and that's what gave him away, along with the trademark magenta cape and gold and jade amulet round his neck. He was speaking to Bowser but the king hardly looked interested in what he had to say.

"Is that." I started.

"The Dragon Lord? Yes it is." Peasley finished in a drawl.

I frowned, "He's changed."

"That he has." Peasley remarked, "He, too, was hit by the Composition Curse. That's what happens when you come to the aid of the Dark King."

So Bowser's in cahoots with the Dragon Lord? Makes sense. I wanted to ask Peasley so much more but I saw him pale and step back into the shadows. He even inched over so that he was completely behind me. After a few seconds passed, he went back over to his previous spot and looked relieved.

"What was that about?" I asked him.

He said, "The hag. She's looking for me. I need a diversion. A dance partner. Perhaps you'll lend me your pretty friend?"

I hesitated. That was when he smirked and stepped closer to me, so close I could see the light freckles around the bridge of his nose and under his bottom lashes. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"Or maybe _we_ could dance," He taunted.

_And that's why people think we're gay _

I shook Peasley's hand off my shoulder and he laughed. A merry sound. I was glad for it. I didn't like seeing him so down and distressed. It wouldn't do to have everybody acting like that, all tense and worried. Peasley and I maneuvered through the crowd until we found Daisy. She was standing near Mario, not saying much, just fiddling with her fingers: she was nervous. She had a right to be. My brother looked like a steel trap pulled so tight he'd snap at any moment. His posture was absolutely rigid and his jaw was clenched like his fists at his sides. He kept a scowl at bay but I didn't think he'd be able to for long.

"Mario." Peasley greeted politely.

My brother only nodded without looking at the prince. He had his gaze fixed on something ahead of him. Peasley quirked a brow but didn't question him. Instead he addressed Daisy.

"May I have this dance, Lady Daisy?" He asked.

If my eyes did not deceive me, there was an edge to his lilting question, a certain sharpness in his eyes. It made me wonder. Daisy looked over at me tentatively and I mouthed, 'humor him'. She nodded.

"I suppose that would be alright." She said.

Peasley smiled but his smile was contained. "Excellent. After you, then."

While they made their way to the dance floor, I faced my brother. He hadn't even acknowledged me. That's how I knew he was mad. Wrapped up in whatever was going on in his line of sight. I followed it and was only mildly surprised at what I saw. It was Peach. She was dancing with the Dark King. So of course my brother wouldn't like that. I didn't know what to say to ease his mind. I didn't know if that was even possible. The enmity between Bowser and my brother only got worse during my two-year leave of absence, it would seem. But if I didn't do _something_, I was afraid my brother might do something rash. So I distracted him.

"Hey Mario I was uh, I was wondering if you knew any good places for me to crash at while I'm in the kingdom. Nothing too fancy, just a nice little flat somewhere." I started.

Mario had a time jerking his eyes away from the couple and over to me. "What?"

I repeated myself and in that time Mario looked back to the source of his aggravation. This time he'd heard me though.

"What you wanna' stay here for?" He spoke with a frown over his thick accent.

If his accent was slipping out I had cause to be concerned. I stepped closer to him and raised my voice some. I needed more of his attention. The best way to get it would be to start something. So I pretended to take offense. It wasn't hard because I did feel somewhat slighted.

"How come you said it like that?" I asked him, "You don't want me staying here?"

Mario rolled his eyes and turned to me, "Oh, not you too, Luigi. I didn't mean anything by it. I just want to know why you don't want to go back home. This place is...well it ain't what it used to be."

"Back home ain't too great, either." I muttered before I could stop myself.

Mario seemed to understand what I was getting at; quitting the plumbing business, losing the house, moving downtown and working a sub-minimum wage job wasn't easy. He softened at last and let his shoulders hunch.

"Sorry about that." He said quietly, "I know it's been rough since I left. I'll help you find a place here if that's what you want. I love you, little brother, and I only want to see you happy; one of us has to be."

I didn't like that melancholy tone he had taken up. But it was better than the anger so I thanked my brother and started looking through the throng of people for Daisy.

* * *

Even through her satin white gloves she could feel the heat of Bowser's hand over her own. His other was at her waist. With all of the pink and white and gold skirts of fabric she still felt as if his hand were atop her own skin. He was so hot, why was he so hot? He didn't look it, though. His face was cool and impassive as he moved slowly around the dance floor.

What had possessed her to agree to this? Her own morbid curiosity perhaps. That curiosity would be the death of her, surely. She was nervous and could feel her heart just hammering away. An un-womanly sweat was also coating her skin. She was hot, so hot, too hot. It was because of _him _no doubt. If she were being completely honest with herself, though, she would admit that she didn't dislike this dance. She didn't hate the way he held her so close and intimately to his body, his slim and muscular body. And she definitely didn't despise the way he took control and led her around his ballroom so elegantly, so domineeringly. She felt in this moment as if she were...

Peach swallowed hard and looked away from the king. She was ashamed at herself. But she couldn't help it. He was so handsome now and it was getting to her. Of course the princess liked to think she wasn't so shallow as to be swayed by looks but when she glanced up again she was taken. Those jade eyes burned right through her. He had his hair done up so neatly in a knot atop his head with streaks of red lying beside his jaw on both sides in the form of trim sideburns. The Dark King said not a word so she didn't either. Her tongue lay thick and idle in her mouth. Her movements were formal and clinical. She knew that somewhere Mario was looking at her, watching her every move. No, not her, Bowser. He didn't trust the king and she didn't either but this. This was.

"Much obliged, Princess." Bowser said suddenly.

He was thanking her. For the dance. That is what one tends to do when the dance is over. It was over? Already? Peach caught herself before she let her disappointment show. Unfortunately she'd already made one visible mistake. While the king was handing her back to Mario, she let her hand linger on his arm just a moment longer than necessary. Mario may not have noticed but the king, of course the king did. Now his careful, blank mask of passivity slipped and he smirked. His eyes, they were so knowing. He took her hand then and brought it to his lips. He brushed his mouth over each of her knuckles before pushing a kiss onto the back of her gloved hand. While he did so his eyes raked slowly over her body.

Mario lost it.

All of his frustration had been building up. He was not blind; oblivious at times but not blind. He knew that there was something strange going on with the king as of late but to his own error he saw none of Peach's involvement. Only Bowser's. When the king so intimately embraced her that was the last straw. He pushed past Peach and shoved the king away. It felt good to release some of that tension. From the arguing and the sleepless nights and of course the king. When Mario's hands made contact with the king's broad chest relief came to him. Then fear. But only slight fear and only for a second. He knew the king would retaliate. He just had to.

He didn't.

Bowser glowered for a moment, then glanced at Peach. All traces of his surmounting anger vanished and there was that smug smirk again. Nonchalantly the Dark King brushed off his shirt and shoulders, righted himself, and walked off.

* * *

"Enjoying yourself, Lady Daisy?" Peasley asked with stiff politeness.

Daisy could feel herself getting more and more anxious. She didn't like being in Peasley's arms. It wasn't the same as being with Luigi. She felt as if Peasley was testing her. Perhaps he remembered her? No. Impossible. It was so long ago, he couldn't possibly...

"I'm no Lady," Daisy said quietly.

Peasley moved lithely and tilted his head, "No, you aren't. Forgive me..._princess._"

Daisy froze and nearly tripped over her feet. "E-Excuse me?"

The prince kept dancing and murmured, "Let there be no pretenses between us, Your Majesty. You don't need to hide, not from me."

The girl started to shake. "I think you have me mistaken with someone else."

Peasley said, "No. I don't think so. But if you insist on holding fast to anonymity I will oblige you. Just know that I will not tell a soul, not even my dearest friend Luigi. This I promise you."

"That's...very kind of you." Daisy said, "But I think you're confused."

Bean Kingdom's crown prince murmured, "I see. So that's the way you'll have it then. Very well. I suppose you feel you must not let your guard down. Not even with an ally. That is quite wise of you, princess."

Their dance came to a graceful halt. Peasley stared at her so hard and long it unnerved Daisy and shook her something awful. She had the urge to fidget with her fingers but resisted. Finally Peasley drew her close to him. She tensed. Under the guise of a kiss on the cheek, Peasley whispered to her urgently.

"If you should ever need anything princess, _do not_ hesitate to ask me." He was solemn and fierce in his warning, so unlike his usual self.

Daisy shuddered at having him so close but nodded and thanked him nonetheless. Peasley stroked the side of her jaw with the back of his hand then and escorted her back to Luigi. Not another word was said between them.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! If you could be so kind as to review, I'd be ever so grateful! Haha, but honestly, thanks. I appreciate it. **

**The plot thickens, it would seem. What is in store for our cast and crew? Will Mario and Peach work out their problems or will an outside force tear them apart from each other? Will Luigi take things to the next level with Daisy? And what on earth is Daisy hiding? How does Peasley come into play? All this and more will be answered. I promise. Maybe not all in the next chapter but still ^_^; **

**Speaking of the next chapter, things are going to get really dark. This is your warning. Something big is going to happen and things won't be the same...that's all I'll say! So stay tuned and until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	14. Chapter 14

**Enjoy everybody! This chapter's a bit long, hope you all don't mind**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise.**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

Daisy was out of sorts ever since her dance with Peasley. She came back to me on his arm about ten minutes ago. The girl was distracted and a bit anxious but she didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering her. That was fine. I kept my arm around her waist to let her know I was there for her if she changed her mind.

So far she hasn't.

I didn't have long to focus on that because the crowd began to move. As a whole, I mean. The music had ceased and the people were migrating from all around towards the center of the room. Naturally I followed. While guiding Daisy I elbowed my way through the crowd as politely as I could. They moved fairly easily. I chalked it up to their shocked state; from the look on their faces, I'd say something had just gone down. _But what_? I soon found my answer in the form of three people. Mario, Peach, and...Bowser? He was walking off, looking as if he'd just won something.

What was going on?

I thought about asking my brother but he looked absolutely incensed. He was arguing with Peach. Well, Peach looked a little pale and skittish and wasn't speaking much. She looked sort of aloof like Daisy, but in a more skittish way.

"Mario you need to calm down," Peach told my brother softly.

Mario just huffed and threw up his hands, "You want _me _to calm down? He was the one slobbering all over your hand! That no-good dirty _stronzo_; he got what was coming to him. Hell, he should be glad that was all I did."

Peach paled even more at his harsh words but I was used to them. Ever since I got out of high school, Mario loosened his tongue more often, but only when he was mad. Right now he was pretty irked but I'd seen worse. I knew from experience though that getting a clear answer out of him at a time like this would be nearly impossible. And Peach. Well. I don't think I should ask her either, she was otherwise engaged.

"Luigi, your friend..." Daisy trailed.

I looked to where she was subtly pointing and saw that Peasley was standing not too far off, looking. Well. Looking like he'd rather be anywhere in the world doing anything that didn't involve the curvy young woman beside him. Okay, so she wasn't beside him, per say, she was much much closer. She was gripping his arm like she would a life-preserver and every now and again she'd peck his cheek and smile coyly. The look in his eyes implored me to come to his aid.

"Come on," I told Daisy, "Maybe he can tell us what's going on."

That wasn't the main reason I was leading her over there but it was one of them, no doubt. Peasley and his fiancee were in the front row of the tightly-packed ring of people. Surely he'd seen what happened. When we crossed the ballroom and got near the prince, he visibly relaxed. We locked eyes and Peasley smiled. While disentangling his fiancee's arms from around his own, he shunned her protests.

"You remember my dear friend Luigi, don't you?" He asked her rhetorically, "I believe he may need my assistance. Do excuse me."

"But Peasley!" His betrothed cried plaintively.

She had her hands balled into fists at her sides and her lips in a crimson pout. The dress she had on was just as bad as the one she wore to Mario's engagement party. This one was gold and shimmery with cap sleeves and a plummeting neckline. It ended well above her knees and the back of it was see-through and lacy. Those heels she wore were probably as rare as Peasley's boots, I assumed. That's one thing they had in common, at least; that...unique sense of fashion. She had her black hair piled in a bun but in my humble opinion, I think it looked better on Daisy.

"Come Luigi," Peasley whispered while walking away, "Before she makes a grab for me."

I pitied my friend. I really did. The three of us hurried away from the slighted Kate Clact and began to talk. Daisy must have gotten over her nervousness because she was the first to do so.

Of Peasley she asked, "Did you see what happened just a while ago?"

My friend stopped only after we'd put a good distance between him and who he dubbed, 'the hag'. Then he gave Daisy a brief glance. I felt like I'd missed something.

"I did." He replied. His expression turned grim, "Not that there was much to see; it happened so fast."

Peasley told us, "Luigi, your brother assaulted the Dark King."

"What?" I immediately responded.

_Mario? Assault the Dark King? Maybe in battle that was okay but here? In his own castle? In front of all his guests? My brother was a goner._

_But wait._

He's not. He's standing right over there, looking relatively unscathed. So what's going on? Why didn't Bowser torch him or knock his lights out? I mean, not that I want those things to happen to my brother but this just didn't make sense. The Dark King's temper was infamous for being shorter than a New York minute so why didn't he retaliate?

"I can tell that you're probably wondering why your brother isn't dead right now." Peasley surmised.

I shrugged, "More or less."

Daisy stepped closer to me and I shared an uneasy look with her. I was already drawing conclusions. Peasley pulled his watch from his pocket and held it at eye-level. It was a nice gold thing with a large face and a clasp design. He popped it open and studied his reflection.

"Well I can't explain that," Peasley drawled quietly, "But I can tell you this only adds to the theory of mine that the Dark King is plotting something foul. Perhaps he'll deal with your brother in a more sinister, inconspicuous way."

Daisy frowned and said, "The Dark King is plotting something? Since when?"

"Since we got here. Or earlier, probably." I answered her.

"Then we should leave this place!" Daisy exclaimed worriedly.

_That's what I was thinking_

"Not. So. Loud." Peasley warned gently.

Our conversation was cut short because the crowd was moving again. This time everyone was aggregating towards the throne room. Peasley rose a brow at that and started striding quickly with the people. Daisy and I had to power-walk to keep up with him. The prince made room for us to stand next to him at the very front of the crowd. I forgot how much Peasley likes to be right in the midst of things.

"What's going on?" Daisy asked me.

I relayed the question to Peasley and he shrugged. It would seem he was just as clueless as Daisy and I. With him of no help to me, I began to look around. It had gotten quiet. People were just standing around in the throne room talking in hushed tones and waiting for something. I turned from the many guests and saw that Bowser was on his throne. He had his legs wide open and his arms crossed over his chest. The velvet chairs on either side of him were below the raised dais and seated some important looking creatures. I only recognized one of them to be human, er, sort of. He looked like King Arthur's Merlin in the flesh, complete with a mess of scraggly white hair and a royal blue robe and hat.

_Must be a magician_

The room suddenly got even more quieter and heads swiveled to the left. This included my own. I saw that there was a figure emerging from some double doors. I knew those from the impromptu tour of the castle Bowser's son had given us. According to the five-year-old, the doors this figure, no figures, were coming from led to the training room and were 'awful limits'. Only when the four beings stopped in the middle of the room did I recognize them. Well one of them.

Junior.

He had his hair down in a tangled mass around his head and wore his typical black pants and vest. The latter of which bore the crimson crest of his father. He didn't have his crown anymore. The other three creatures flanking him were unfamiliar to me. Well not totally so. There was something I recognized about them, I just couldn't put my finger on it. They appeared to be children, bald boys with olive skin that was almost green and rough, chapped skin all over. Their eyes were what let me know they couldn't be human. Those eyes were completely black and lacked an iris. It was creepy. All three of those creatures were decked out in plain linen pants and white shirts that seemed like t-shirts. The four of them, including Junior, bowed to the king.

"Do those creatures seem familiar?" Peasley whispered right next to my ear.

I flinched and whispered back, "Um. Sort of. Please don't do that again."

"What? Don't you like it when I-"

"Peasley. Don't."

My friend chuckled softly and said, "Forgive me, Luigi. I don't mean to tease you so much but you make it too easy. Don't be so sensitive."

I shrugged. "What were you saying about the creatures?"

The prince was considerably further from my ear when he whispered, "Ah yes. Believe it or not Luigi, most of the Koopas that were hit with the Composition Curse survived. And were modified."

"Like Bowser." I added.

"Exactly." Peasley acceded. "Their rough skin, humanoid appearance, strange eyes and characteristic baldness are all the result of their genetic structuring trying to adapt after the effects of the curse."

"Ah." I remarked.

They were getting in position now. Junior was on one side of the courtyard and the three Koopas were on the other. The boy relaxed his shoulders and spread his feet apart. He had this blank look on his face. It was a deadpan, creepy expression that just didn't fit his youthful features. It made my stomach tighten uncomfortably. The boy looked over to his father, who gave him a slow nod.

Junior began to move. He swiped at the air and swept at the ground with his arms and feet respectively. He moved with fluidity and incorporated several flips and fancy movements into his routine. It was like watching a black belt practice warm-ups for karate. I thought back to the way Junior showed off for me and Daisy in the 'garden'. Maybe that was practice for this sort of presentation?

The youngest prince stilled. His face was still disconcertingly blank. He dipped into a low bow to his father again. When he stood up straight and his father nodded briefly once more, things began to happen.

For one, the Koopas started running towards the heir of the Badlands. It wasn't until about a minute later, after Junior was parrying blow after blow that I realized this was some kind of match. Junior was doing well. I think. He wasn't just holding his own, he was starting to become too much for the three Koopas. Just as they got the bright idea to try and attack him from three different angles, Junior flipped backwards evasively. The Koopas were on him immediately. The first one to reach him got a nasty surprise. With his right leg Junior landed a roundhouse kick to the side of the Koopa's head. The heel of the prince's foot banged right against the creature's temple really hard, making him spin around and then collapse.

_Was that a kill move?_

I pretended it wasn't. That the Koopa was just incapacitated, knocked out cold. The niggling voice in the back of my head kept trying to tell me this wasn't so. The fight drew on. With one Koopa down, the other two upped the ante. They came charging towards the prince. Junior ran as well, in the same direction. Was he running away? After doing so well? That didn't make sense.

Junior wasn't running away, I soon saw. He was gaining momentum. When he reached the wall, he ran up it a couple of feet and pushed his feet off of it, launching himself into the air and landing right behind his opponents. They didn't react quickly enough. One of them had the misfortune of being in the way as Junior dove back on his hands and then sprung back up with his feet outstretched. His feet were booted for once so I know it had to hurt when he kicked the both of them into one of the unlucky Koopa's backs. His actions sent the Koopa sailing across the room where it slammed its shoulder into the opposite wall. It slid down onto the marble floor and lay on its side, unmoving. Junior began to stalk towards the fallen Koopa.

_He's not dead. Can't be dead. He just hit his head on that wall is all. He'll bounce back._

I tried to convince myself but the seconds ticked on. The Koopa was unresponsive to the rapidly approaching crown prince. The little boy was barely over three feet tall and yet he was the most menacing creature in the room right then. Stalking towards the Koopa with that blank, unfeeling look on his face. It damn near scared the shit out of me. But things got worse from there.

The other Koopa, the last one standing, came rushing for the prince. Junior halted in his advances but didn't turn around. The Koopa had its fists balled and was running at top speed. Still the boy didn't move. His hands were changing though. They were reddening, then they were white-hot. I knew what was coming then but I couldn't look away. My insides knotted and twisted and I started to sweat nervously. It was out of dread that my heart started to race. Just when the creature lunged for the prince, Junior turned on his heel and did what I feared he would. He stretched both his hands forward and shot a great flame from the small appendages.

The Koopa was set ablaze mid-lunge and fell to the floor screaming. The agonized sounds were deafening and high-pitched and utterly inhuman. The Koopa's shrieks shook me to the core as they bounced off the castle's walls and reverberated throughout the room. That creature writhed and convulsed violently as its blackened body hissed audibly.

Junior just watched.

It was like he was studying his handiwork more than anything. Now I felt like I'd be sick. While that Koopa lay smoldering, the other one started to rise to its feet. This came to Junior's awareness and the boy pulled his eyes away from the charred Koopa. He strode as silently as a wraith over to the struggling creature. The Koopa had a hand on the wall for support when Junior approached. Weakly the Koopa threw a punch but Junior somersaulted around him. Behind the creature now, Junior put the Koopa in a headlock with its neck in the junction of the prince's elbow. The Koopa gasped and panted while the prince looked to his father. So did I.

Bowser nodded slowly, very slowly, and Junior acted accordingly.

The boy let the Koopa out of the hold, but only long enough for the prince to grab it by both sides of its head. In one swift motion Junior gave the head a firm jerk. The disjointed crack and the thud that followed were the only sounds in the room. Nobody said a word. Nobody moved a muscle. It was as if everybody in the room were collectively holding their breath.

_Okay, there is absolutely no room for speculation; that was most definitely a kill move._

Although the burnt Koopa's cries had died down, I didn't think that was a sign of its survival. If anything that probably meant the creature was done for. I didn't know how to react to all this. I mean damn. This was. I didn't even know what to make of what I'd just witnessed, and judging by the silence, neither did anyone else. I made the mistake of looking up at the throne and catching sight of the king. He was making his way down from the throne towards his son and he was grinning.

Grinning.

Fucking _grinning _from ear to ear. He stroked his son's hair back from his head in a rare show of affection and only then did Junior's icy mask of nonchalance finally melt. The boy beamed up at his father and let his missing tooth show. I didn't know what to think of that cute smile right now.

"Well done, my heir." Bowser proclaimed proudly, "Well done!"

Junior glowed in response to his father's praise and wrapped his arms around his father's middle. Bowser didn't even push him away or anything. While they shared a twisted sort of tender moment, something else began to happen. The last Koopa to fall, the one with his head on backwards, started to stand. The Koopa gripped both his ears and forcefully righted his head on his shoulders. Then he rolled his neck and started walking over to the king. The Koopa who had taken a blow to the temple also rose and joined the first near Bowser. Even the Koopa who'd been barbecued got up and limped over to the other two. The three of them bowed and were dismissed absently by the king, who was still allowing his son to embrace him.

_What. In the actual. Fuck._

What was this, the walking dead? I knew I wasn't crazy, all three of those Koopas were finished. How in the hell were they leaving this throne room like nothing had just happened?

"Forgive me, Luigi, I forgot to mention something about those Koopas." Peasley cut in.

I swallowed and said, "And what was that?"

I couldn't see how the prince was so calm after just seeing...whatever that was that had just happened. It was unreal. I was afraid to look over at Daisy. I thought I might see that same bewildered befuddlement that I no doubt sported on my face mirrored on hers.

Peasley picked at his waistcoat and said, "Those Koopas were modified in several ways. One of them being their outward appearance. I forgot to tell you about their remarkable defense abilities."

"And that means?" I murmured.

"They can withstand intense amounts of pain and suffering. They are incredibly resilient and their immunal response has been augmented. For example, their blood clots in seconds and the sheer amount of leukocytes they possess is astounding really." Peasley commented.

I quirked a brow. "You sound like a doctor."

"I've done plenty of research is all." Peasley responded defensively. "This curse nearly killed me. I'd like to know as much about it as I can."

With my hands raised placatingly I said, "Alright. I understand."

My friend's expression relaxed and softly he said, "I didn't mean to be short with you, Luigi. Recently I've thought of pursuing more medical studies and I've gotten a lot of slack from my advisers, the court, and many others about it."

"Good for you." I told him, "About wanting to study, I mean."

"Thank you," Peasley smiled charmingly. "Now do you understand what I meant about the Koopas? Surely you see now why the Dark King would build an army of these creatures."

I nodded. Hard to kill and quick to heal? That spelled trouble either way you look at it. If Bowser had way more skills than his son and he had an army that was virtually invincible, the rest of the Mushroom world was really in trouble. Did he invite us here to boast of his accomplishments, I wonder? It would make sense. But only one thing.

"The Koopas," I said, "They're so small."

Peasley smiled faintly. "No Luigi, the Koopa offspring are small. Just around little Junior's height. But the adult Koopa's are nearly seven feet tall on average, if you can imagine it.

I hardly could. I braved a look over at Daisy and saw that she'd gone completely rigid in my arm. Her skin was pale and her light eyes were wet with tears unshed. The grimace she wore was faint and didn't compare to the overlying distress in her features. She looked terribly sad, like she pitied someone or like some great tragedy had just played out before her. I ran my thumb over her cheek and her brown eyes blinked into focus.

"You okay?" I asked her gently.

"Are you?" She responded thickly.

Okay. Stupid question. I should've known not to ask that. I looked away and put my hands into my pockets. Daisy wrapped her arms around herself and kept blinking rapidly. It was like she was trying not to cry. I was shaken up by what had happened as well but not that much. I mean, now that I thought about it, this was right up Bowser's ally. This depraved show of brutality. That's what it seemed like. Bowser sure did seem to get a kick out of the show. He was still grinning, although not as hard now.

He'd given Junior something, a sword. The weapon was slim and long and tied at the hilt with ribbons of green and gold. The boy was his usual congenial self again. Smiling and waving that sword around exuberantly. The sword was made for him I bet. It looked like a naginata, only significantly smaller. Definitely some fine craftsmanship or perhaps sorcery involved there. Bowser rolled his eyes and grabbed the blade flat between his thumb and index finger.

"This isn't a toy." Bowser chided.

He took the blade from his son and slid it into its sheath, then placed it in a loop at Junior's waist. Having done that, the king rested his hand atop Junior's head and regarded his guests.

"Let the feast begin!" He declared.

* * *

"I don't think I've ever seen something so _barbaric _and _disgusting _in all my life." Daisy huffed fiercely.

Before I was afraid she might throw up or break down in tears but as it turns out, I was wrong. The girl was angry. Just mad. She really didn't appreciate what she deemed, 'that sick excuse for social entertainment' we'd just seen. I couldn't get her to leave the subject alone now, not even while we were sitting here at the long table in the dining hall. The food brought out wasn't really worth eating. Lots of cheese and red wine and grapes that tasted too sour and bread that was a bit stale. I had a suspicion as to why the food wasn't very good. I figured that if this feast really was a ruse, then Bowser wouldn't go all out in terms of cuisine. For all I knew, this food may just be leftovers or things that have been ruminating. Upon looking around at all the guests standing around or sitting at the table as well, I noticed that nobody was really eating. They were talking about nothing in particular and laughing too long and too loudly; they were on edge. What they'd just seen obviously freaked some of these guests out. For the sake of their good standing with the Dark King they were trying to pretend this wasn't so, I assumed.

But back to Daisy.

The girl hadn't even touched her food. She was sitting erect in her chair and speaking passionately. I couldn't understand why she was so worked up. Sure this place was horrible, but we'd be leaving it all behind soon. It wasn't worth worrying about to me.

"It's not right to train his little child like that." Daisy continued to rant.

I shrugged and said, "No, it's not. But it's his prerogative."

Daisy tilted her head and said, "What do you mean?"

"Junior is Bowser's son and heir," I explained, "Bowser can train him any way he likes."

"Well that still doesn't make it right." Daisy frowned. "Junior is obviously incredibly talented but he shouldn't be forced to use his skills this way."

I didn't remark. Around the rim of my goblet I ran my finger idly. Daisy was quiet but not for long. She wanted to know if this even bothered me since I wasn't acting like it. Hm.

"It's not that I don't agree with you," I told her, "It's just that. I mean. What can we do about all this? Bowser is gonna' do what he wants, this is his castle and his son. It's just the way things are."

That wasn't good enough for her.

She turned to the person seated across from us. He was currently checking his reflection out in the back of the spoon.

"Prince Peasley," Daisy asked him, "What do you think of all this?"

Peasley didn't even glance away from his spoon to say, "I'm afraid I have to agree with Luigi. The Dark King cannot be moved, not from his militaristic ways."

I could tell from the disappointed look that crossed her face and the subsequent silence that Daisy had not gotten the answer she wanted. Very slowly she took her cloth napkin and placed it upon her plate. She pushed her chair out and stood. Her lips were pursed and her brow knitted discontentedly.

"I don't feel very well." She said softly.

Immediately I stood and hurried over to her. I took her arm gently and offered to walk her upstairs to her room. She looked as if she were considering my offer but then shook her head.

"No thank you, Luigi. I think I need to be alone," She declined.

I nodded and let her go.

Instead of going back to the table, I retired to my designated guest bedroom. Very contemplatively I thought about the events of the day. While sitting on the bed I frowned. This was all crazy and unreal, but it wasn't uncommon. Lots of kings, both 'good' and 'bad' trained their heirs and did questionable things in their free time. Bowser was a militant tyrant. This was so like him to hone his son's skills so that the boy would be of use to him. Why was Daisy taking this so hard?

I wasn't that hungry. I guess I'd lost my appetite as well. I kicked my black trainers under the bed and took off my socks. Might as well get comfortable, I figured. It wasn't like I was leaving this room for a while. I didn't want to go back down there because now that Daisy was gone and Mario was still at odds with the princess, there was no point in going down there. Oh wait, there was Peasley. He was down there suffering with his fiancee. Maybe I should go back down there and keep him company.

There was a knock at the door.

Was that Daisy? I got up from the bed and went over to the door. On my way I straightened my shirt and smoothed down my hair.

"You feeling any...better?" I trailed off after I saw who it was behind the door.

Mario.

He really thought I wanted to know how he felt today. Not that I didn't, it's just that the question was meant for someone else. I already knew he wasn't feeling too hot, what with Peach and Bowser stressing him out. If I known it was him at the door I would've kept my mouth shut. I really didn't want to hear him go on and on about his relationship problems. Thankfully he kept his response brief.

"Not really, little brother." He admitted. "I just came to tell you we're leaving first thing in the morning. Be ready."

_Thank God_

"Alright." I answered.

He left after that. I sat back on the bed and then reclined all the way back. Obviously Bowser's taking war preparation to an extreme. He really hasn't changed at all. All the more reason for us to get back home. With any luck, we can start getting ready for his inevitable next attack.

* * *

_You didn't come to dinner. I was worried. Are you unwell? __I would have come_

_to __see __for __myself what the problem was __but the hag kept_

_impeding me. I could barely __write this message to you, she believes I'm_

_making out some scandalous __love note. In fact she's trying to_

_read over my shoulder right now. To raise her_

_suspicions I'll add that __I've missed you terribly in the last_

_four hours, my darling __and I hope that you are well. I send_

_you all my love and affection. Do forgive me Luigi. I could not resist._

_Were you to see the indignant look on the hag's face I think_

_surely __you would understand._

I had to read that note again and again before I finally understood what it was Peasley was trying to say. I was so hung up on his 'love and affection'. Of course I could forgive him. I knew how sensational he could be. And besides, the underlying message was that he was concerned about me. Apparently I'd missed dinner. When I got up from an unexpected nap just a few minutes ago I'd seen the slip of napkin under the door. It made me wonder just how long I'd been asleep. Looking out into the hallway I saw that things were dark. It was quite late. And silent, too.

But not for long.

A soft knock sounded at the door. Now who could that be? I figured it was either Daisy again, like yesterday night, or maybe Mario coming to tell me we were leaving the palace early. It was the former, much to my delight. She wasn't upset anymore but her eyes were red. She must've been crying. This bothered me a lot.

"Hey Luigi." She said almost inaudibly. At least she was smiling.

"You wanna come in?" I asked her.

She looked over her shoulder but there was nothing there so it must have been a nervous antic of hers. Again she was in her white nightgown and her hair was down. It was extra wavy from being confined earlier.

"If it's not too much trouble, I wanted to uh," Daisy started, "Sleep in here again tonight."

I said too quickly, "Yeah you can sleep with me."

She and I both blushed.

_And here I thought I was making progress_

I tried to rectify that blunder by saying, "I mean you can, um, sleep _with _me. I mean not with me but uh, in the bed with me."

_Maybe I could bury myself in this hole I'm digging_

I didn't think I was making the situation better so I just shut my mouth. Daisy was blushing and I'm sure I was, too. My ears were burning the most. I wish I could just take the last thirty seconds and do them all over again. God, this was embarrassing.

Daisy started to laugh.

A happy, lighthearted sound. She was blushing no longer but her face was still colored with good humor. Her nose was all scrunched and her light eyes were kinda squinty but it was cute. She was cute. I couldn't stop the slow smile that spread over my previous shamed face while she kept laughing. She snorted all of a sudden and clapped a hand over her mouth. Those eyes that was so mirthful just a while ago were now flooded with anxious anticipation. What she anticipating? Humiliation by the looks of it.

She got none.

I only laughed. Harder than her, even. I couldn't help it. That was just the best thing that happened all day. She dropped her hand and joined in.

"We better quit it before we wake everybody up." She told me as she sobered.

I nodded and stepped aside to let her enter the room. She walked past me and sat on the bed with both legs tucked underneath her. I shut the door and came over to sit gingerly at the edge of the bed next to her. She tilted her head at that.

"Luigi I can't sleep." She murmured.

"Neither can I." I told her.

Daisy crawled over to the section of the bed that was against the wall and stretched out her legs in front of her. She patted the spot next to her and I obliged her by sitting right there. She moved over so that she was right up under me. I draped an arm over her shoulder because I could tell that was what she wanted. She leaned her head on me and I pushed a kiss on top of her hair. Her hair was clean and smelled like soap. The girl must have bathed. Why didn't I?

_Jeez I hope I don't smell extra gross or anything_

Daisy shifted her legs again. She bent them at the knee and brought them over to the side of her. My attention was drawn to them. Not for the first time I wanted to touch them but I didn't. I didn't want another repeat of what happened in the garden earlier. She and I just sat there in the dark room not saying anything. It was nicer than I just described, surprisingly. That was funny. Even doing nothing was nice as long as Daisy was here.

"Lu!" Someone called, "Open the door, Lu!"

There was a rapid procession of loud, muted knocks after that. I knew exactly who it was but not why they were here. This person seemed to have absolute free reign all over the palace no matter what they said about certain places being 'awful limits'.

"It's him, isn't it?" Daisy whispered, "Junior."

I nodded. She tensed beside me. "What does he want?"

With a frown I said, "Why so nervous? He's just a little kid."

"Is that what you know?" Daisy replied in a hushed tone, "After what we saw today I'm not so sure."

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

Daisy looked up at me and solemnly said, "He's not human, Luigi. He just looks that way."

There were more knocks on the door. Actually, they didn't sound like knocks. More like thumps or the sound of a boot hitting the bottom of the door.

"So what are you saying?" I wanted to know.

Daisy looked down and murmured, "I. I don't know. I just think he's dangerous. You saw what he did to those Koopas."

"Yeah," I said slowly, "I understand what you're saying. But it's not his fault."

"That doesn't make him any less dangerous." Daisy argued.

I stood slowly and made my way over to the door. On the bed Daisy grew terse. I stopped and regarded her stiff posture and knitted brow.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked her patiently. "Open it or just wait for him to go away?"

Daisy was quiet. On the one hand, I did agree that Junior was dangerous. He had so much intelligence and talent at such a young age. He had the potential to become extremely powerful. But if he kept idolizing his father and seeking the Dark King's favor and attention like he was now, things could turn out bad. For us, mainly. It wasn't Junior's fault though. It was only natural for a little boy to crave his father's love and approval. But like I said, if Junior is molded to Bowser's liking, he'll inherit his father's empire and turn out to be just as bad a tyrant as Bowser himself is.

But on the other hand.

Junior wasn't totally like his father. He did question some things about his dad and the king's practices. I believed there was hope for him yet, if only he would get more guidance from an outside source. Someone who would be a good influence for him. But the hard part would be finding somebody who'd be able to do that. And then getting the king to allow that to happen. I'm almost positive Bowser wouldn't appreciate somebody basically undoing his work of making Junior into a carbon copy of himself.

"Just think of it this way." I began, "Junior is young and impressionable and if he gets influenced by the right people, he may not turn out so bad."

Daisy seemed to relax. "But who are the right people? And how do you know they'll be able to be in his life enough to make a difference?"

I sighed. "I don't know that. I was just trying to make you feel better. I was trying to let you know the situation isn't as hopeless as you think."

The girl blinked and said, "Oh. Oh. I appreciate that, Luigi. I'm sorry, too. I didn't know I was being so negative. I guess it's just been a long day and I still haven't come to grips with what went down today."

With her now at ease somewhat, I turned to answer the door. It turns out Junior was really patient when he wanted to be; the boy was still knocking and calling out to me. I pulled the door open and looked down at him. Then I felt bad. In his arms were both of the gifts Daisy and I gave him, a hand mirror, and his two wooden toys. He had his hands full, that was probably why he had to kick the door instead of knock.

"Lu how come you took that long, long minutes to open the door?" He asked innocuously.

I didn't answer. What could I say? If I told him the truth, that Daisy and I were pondering on how much of a threat he was, I knew it would hurt his feelings. After I broke things down to where he could understand, that is. I didn't have to answer though because Junior came up with an excuse all on his own.

He said knowingly, "You must have been sleeping so hard and you didn't hear me until just now, huh Lu?"

I didn't even have it in me to reply to that. I just kinda hung my head and let the moment of guilt pass. I looked over at Daisy and she was staring hard at Junior. Studying him.

"Can I come in here?" Junior asked.

"Isn't it past your bedtime or something?" I asked him quietly.

Junior pouted and said, "Yes. But I want to come in here and play with my gifts!"

"Alright, okay," I conceded, "Just be quiet."

The boy grinned and scurried past me into the room. He set his armload of toys down on the floor and stood over them proudly. While I shut the door, Junior crossed the room and turned on the lamp that rested atop the plain nightstand. The room was bathed in light. He had to have turned it on full blast. I blinked and let my eyes adjust, then came to sit on the edge of the bed with both my feet flat on the stone floor. Junior started to sit down and get settled with his playthings just as Daisy moved to sit beside me.

She wasn't nervous anymore, just thoughtful. I liked that look on her. Her eyes were on Junior, moving over him and taking in his every move. Not in a hostile or predatory way, just in a completely objective one. I didn't see anything particularly interesting about Junior. He seemed fine and was behaving in much the same way as before the er, performance. On the floor with his legs crossed he sat and pulled the box that held the puzzle into his lap. There was a series of four clasps on each side that held the box closed. Junior was having a hard time opening the last one. He was strongly independent, though, so I knew he wouldn't ask for help.

It was then that Daisy stopped scanning over the child and got up. She moved from my side and sat down beside Junior.

In a soft voice she said, "Here, I can help you with that."

Junior gazed at her but kept the box in his hands. It was me who he was sort of close to; he still treated her like a stranger to be wary of.

"It's okay." Daisy coaxed.

Very tentatively Junior handed her the box. He watched as she popped the clasp open with ease. Inside of the wooden box were thinner pieces of wood carved in the shape of puzzle pieces and painted in the image of a red and white mushroom. Junior dumped the box upside down and let the pieces clatter to the floor noisily. He smiled at the mess.

"Now what to do?" He asked me.

I quirked a brow and said, "Now you solve it."

"But. What to do?" He then asked.

Daisy touched his arm and he flinched and scooted back. The girl frowned a bit at that. I kind wish Junior would open up to her more but then again he didn't know her. But he didn't know me either.

_I don't know. It can't be helped_

"Haven't you ever done a puzzle before?" Daisy asked carefully.

Junior shook his head. Again, I wasn't surprised. The boy wasn't allowed to have toys in the first place. And another thing; he lived in a bleak empire run by an evil king who was probably constantly pressuring him to live up to high expectations. I didn't think fun was exactly a factor in all that. I _was _surprised, however, that the boy even had a relative idea of how to truly enjoy himself.

"I can show you." Daisy then said.

She rooted through the pieces and found two that matched. After she stuck them together, she tacked on another.

"You see what I'm doing?" She asked, "Just find out where each piece fits and stick them together like this."

Junior observed her and started to find matches of his own. Soon he fell into a set pace. He was quiet while he worked. Methodically he skimmed his small fingers over the even smaller pieces and settled them into their proper place.

"I saw your performance today." Daisy spoke.

Junior kept working and said, "You did?"

"Yes."

"Was I good?"

Daisy paused. Very carefully she said, "You are a good fighter."

Junior beamed. "Daddy says that, too."

"Do you fight...often?" She asked him.

The boy's smiled faltered. He replied, "Um, yes."

"Do you like it?" She then asked.

"Like what?" He said in a murmur.

"To fight," Daisy patiently elucidated. "Do you like to fight?"

The prince twirled a puzzle piece in his fingers and idly answered, "Sometimes I like to fight."

"And when don't you like to fight?" She probed.

"Um. I don't to when." He started, "I don't like to when..."

Daisy said softly, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

She stopped asking him questions and let him continue working in peace. But she didn't let the matter drop for long.

After a while she said, "Do you know what the word kill means?"

"Daisy." I frowned.

She looked over to me and worried her lip. I wasn't mad at her or anything, I just didn't know where she was going with this. It wouldn't do to open a can of worms like that.

"Do you Junior?" She prompted.

The boy shook his head. "No, but I heard my daddy say it many times. Kill is a bad, bad word, I think."

"You're right, it is." Daisy affirmed. "Do you know what it means to die?"

I sighed, "Daisy, don't."

She again looked over at me uneasily. "Luigi I have to let him know that what he did was just wrong."

Junior dropped the pieces in his hand. He looked crestfallen and incredibly anxious all at once. His voice shook with his next question.

"What did I do wrong?"

Neither Daisy nor I answered him right away. I didn't know how to explain to him what he'd done. I didn't even feel like discussing this. Daisy was mulling over her response.

"Junior," She said at last, "Do you know what you did to those Koopas?"

"I beat them." He responded simply. "Just like Daddy told me to. And like the gin roll showed me how."

"Gin...roll?" Daisy voiced my confusion aloud.

Junior resumed working. I guess he figured he wasn't in trouble or at risk of being punished anymore.

He went on to explain, "The gin roll leads my daddies armies. And he teaches me to fight. I have to train a lot. On every day."

"I see." Daisy commented.

_General is what he meant then. Bowser has his general training his son? No wonder the kid's so good _

"I think I understand what's going on." Daisy then said.

She got up and came to sit by me. Her words were slow in coming but when they came, they were spoken in a tone that was clear and concise.

"Luigi, Junior is definitely not to blame. He's only following orders." She said. "If the Koopas are the type to take that kind of damage and walk away like nothing's happened, then it's no wonder he has no real comprehension of."

She stopped and leaned over to whisper near my ear. "Of death or murder and killing. Of what he's done."

I nodded absently. What was consuming me right then was the sensation of her mouth near my ear. Those soft lips of hers brushed the shell of my ear in the faintest way. It sent a jolt down my spine and a tingle right to my.

_Junior. Junior's not accountable for his actions. Don't understand death. Just think about the topic at hand. _

Eventually I was able to focus enough to say, "Yeah you're right."

"This is just sad." She remarked in a normal voice.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"He's probably conditioning Junior to get used to ki. I mean, k-i-l-l-i-n-g so that when he's older he won't have a problem with it."

"Yeah." I acceded.

That was perceptive of her. I didn't realize how keen she was about these matters, psychological ones that is. Now that I think of it, she really is like a psychologist in the making. I wonder if it's ever crossed her mind to study up on the practice more. I might suggest it to her. Later though. When we get back home.

* * *

"Finished!" Junior declared proudly, "Look Lu, all the puzzles make a picture. But what is this thing? Oh! I know. That's a mushroom. Daddy don't like those things."

"Do you?" Daisy asked.

Junior paused. With his head tilted he regarded the completed puzzle.

"Um. I. Yes. I think I do like it." He said unsurely.

Those were the first words exchanged between any of the three of us in about a good forty-five minutes. Daisy was lying on her side watching Junior. I was sitting at the foot of the bed with her legs across my lap. It was late.

_As if it wasn't before _

Junior marveled over his work and smiled. That autonomous personality of his was proud of his achievement. It was quite a feat; that was hundreds of puzzle pieces he put together, after all. I couldn't even do that in an hour. But that was mostly because I didn't have the patience for it.

"Now what to do?" He asked me.

I shrugged languidly. "Take it apart and put the pieces back into the box. Then do it all over again."

"Okay," Junior smiled.

"But not tonight." I cut in.

The boy's expression fell into a pout before he became aware of it and schooled his features. He put his puzzle away without a word. That silence only lasted for so long. After he was done he stood up and brought the hand mirror over to me. I'd been wondering about that. It was a gilded thing with many designs carved into it. There was also a small rose in the area where the glass of the mirror ended.

"I got this from Peezy!" He proclaimed, "He said I can always look my best with this. And it does some magic, too."

"Magic?" I frowned.

Junior nodded. "When I press this flower for so very long, I can see Peezy and we can talk."

"Really?" I said more out of needing to respond with something.

To be honest I was only half-listening; no not even that. I was tired. I was so very tired. I wanted to just curl up beside Daisy and go to sleep. Junior was bouncing and happy and far from ready to turn in for the night. I hated to do it, but I had to kick him out. Mario probably planned on leaving very early in the morning, perhaps in only a matter of hours from now. I needed to get some shut-eye.

Junior yawned.

"Looking mighty sleepy there, your majesty." Daisy said with a smile in her voice.

Junior shook his head and said, "I'm not...I'm not so tired."

A yawn split that sentence in two so I guess he was in denial.

"Go ahead, Junior. It's real late. You should go back to your room and go to sleep." I told him.

He started to protest so I said, "You wouldn't want your father to find you in here, would you?"

The boy deflated and said, "No. I won't like that because he'll be so mad."

"Lu, can you come with me, then?" He entreated, "I don't want to go by myself."

"Don't you want to go all by yourself?" I asked him.

I was trying to play on his sense of independence. He wasn't taking the bait. The child gathered up his toys neatly and walked over to me.

"I want you to come with me." He insisted.

Sighing didn't help alleviate the heaviness in my bones and behind my eyes but I did it anyway. I knew what I'd have to do. Humor the boy. It isn't too big of a sacrifice since we'll be leaving tomorrow anyway. This is the last time he'll see me, most likely.

"Alright," I capitulated.

Daisy was asleep by now. She was on top of the covers still on her side and totally knocked out. I would be glad to join her. I stood and walked over to the nightstand to put out the lamp. When I came back to Junior I was about to put my hand on the small of his back to guide him but he instead pulled one of his hands free and slipped it in mine. We walked out the room, down the hall, down the stairs, and all the way to the other wing. It was still dark so I figured I had some more time left to sleep. That was sort of comforting.

"In here, Lu." He said.

I followed him into his room and watched as he put his new toys away. He was real careful about it. He even went over to the closet and wrapped each item in a shirt or pair of pants before sliding them under the bed, all the way to the back. He crawled out from under there and came over to me. I was leaning against the doorframe but he pulled my sagging body by the hand and guided me over to his bed. There he dove under the sheets and nestled into his pillow. He still had my hand.

"You gonna be gone tomorrow, huh? Before I wake up." He surmised.

I nodded and covered a yawn. It took all I had not to drop down to the floor and doze off right there. Junior was saying something else, though.

"You coming back here?" He wanted to know.

_Hell no, not if I can help it _

"Maybe." I lied.

He smiled then and let his eyes finally shut. When I was sure the kid was asleep, I strode so slowly back to my room. I didn't bother getting under the covers once there, I just climbed into the bed behind Daisy and was out seconds later.

* * *

**A/N: Okay that was a lot about a little. I hope you all don't mind the rambling chapter, it's more of a transition chapter. If it's not too much trouble, leave a review folks! When I say that I mean tell me what you think so far and what are your thoughts on the way the characters are portrayed. Or what do you like most about the story/character and why? Just some things to think about...**

**Until next chapter!**

**~DymondGold~**


	15. Chapter 15

**Enjoy everybody! **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise.**

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

_Another day, another argument, _Peach thought dismally to herself. The morning was young but already spoilt by harsh words and sharp tones. Peach didn't plan on fighting with her fiance, not today, but then again she never did. It just happened that way so often. He was still upset about what occurred at the feast yesterday. She didn't even know how she felt about the incident, she didn't need him to keep bringing it up again. The more she thought about it, the more discontented she felt. She wished he would just leave it alone. The princess only wanted to go back home and crawl into her sheets and sleep the day away.

But Mario was still ranting.

He was asking her about what happened again.

_Couldn't he just drop it already, _Peach thought.

Apparently not. He was going on and on about how he was so glad to be leaving this place and how he was never coming back here for the life of him. It was grating on the princess' nerves. She just wanted some peace. Finally she could take it no more. She stopped walking at the bottom of the staircase and set her pink luggage on the ground beside her feet.

To Mario she said, "Can you please just stop?"

"What?" He immediately replied.

"Can you stop talking about this? I'm tired of hearing you complain and fuss. So can you please just be quiet?" She asked him in that soft but firm tone.

Mario looked at her and barked out a huff of a dry laugh. "Fine I'll stop talking about it. Damn."

The princess winced and gave him a reproachful look. She hated how much he swore lately. It wasn't like him. Mario was gentle and jovial and mild-mannered. Or at least he used to be. Now he was hardly any of those things.

"Would you stop staring at me like I'm some kind of big bad wolf?" He sighed.

She was about to say something but the wolf himself came strolling out from the royal wing. At the sight of the Dark King Peach lost her words, her nerves. She flushed and stood closer to Mario. With a scowl, the red and blue-clad ex-plumber stepped in front of his fiancee and crossed his arms.

"What do you want?" He asked Bowser gruffly.

The heroic man was dressed smartly in his uniform and boots and white gloves. His hair was all in place and he looked real neat and collected. His face was another story. His mouth was twisted in a shape of displeasure and his eyes were dark blue and full of anger. He was just waiting for Bowser to do something that would give him an excuse to fight. He had really changed.

Peach, too, was not so calm as her attire might suggest. Even though the modest pink gown and simple hairstyle she wore this morning would suggest her being low-key, she was anything but. Especially not when Bowser sidled up right beside her.

The Dark King had the nerve to rest his hand on the small of the princess' back. She tensed and looked at Mario but he didn't even notice. He was glaring at the king, still.

"I said what do you want?" Mario frowned, "Get on with it so we can leave already."

Bowser only smirked and said, "Do my ears and eyes deceive me..."

He dropped his hand lower on Peach's back, so low that his fingers were dangerously close to her bottom. The princess gasped. Mario heard her and gave her a wondering look but didn't figure out what was going on.

"...Or is there trouble in paradise?" The Lord of the Badlands drawled.

"No." Mario spat, "And if there was, it wouldn't be any business of yours."

Bowser quirked a brow. He was smoothing his hand over Peach's back now. It was driving her crazy. The fact that he was touching her so intimately was bad enough, but it was even worse because Mario was standing right there. It was like Bowser was playing some sick game with her, trying to see how far he could go before Mario caught on. She didn't know what she wanted to do more; scream at Mario for his utter obliviousness or pick up her skirts and bolt for the hills, far from the Dark King and his too-hot hands.

Bowser tilted his head. His eyes were alight with a dark sort of mirth. There was none of the cold civility from the prior few days. Now he was beginning to get more and more like himself.

He spoke in a mock-concerned voice when he said, "Perhaps you two should ride back home in separate carriages. That'll give you some time to cool off."

"Sounds great but we only came in one coach, genius." Mario told him scathingly.

Bowser's smirk faltered. It was back when he replied easily, "You can borrow one of mine."

Mario eyed him skeptically and said, "Why are you being so chummy all of a sudden?"

The king shrugged and said, "Hm. Simply feeling magnanimous this morning."

Peach would've said something about the king's odd behavior but she was battling her own emotions as it was. The royal's hand had yet to cease its ministrations. She could've sworn there was a hole being burnt into the fabric of her dress under his touch. She tried to edge away from him but the hand on her back stilled suddenly, then dropped over to her waist where it clamped down to hold her in place. Peach made a noise of surprise and distress. Mario frowned at her as if to ask, 'what's up with you?'

She'd never done it before but the princess had the urge to slap her palm right in the middle of her face.

_Why doesn't he ever pay attention to me? _She wondered, _Why does he always take me for granted? Bow...He could've stabbed me in the back with his dagger by now and Mario wouldn't notice until it was too late._

There was much to be said about how she even knew the Dark King had a dagger and where he kept it; at his waist on the left-hand side. She blushed a little because that knowledge meant she had to be looking at the king and his waist in the first place.

"Alright. Fine." Mario acceded, then added under his breath, "But I'll be damned if I'm bringing that thing back here."

Bowser only heard the first part and had said, "Good. I'll have my servants hitch up a carriage for you, then."

* * *

It felt like I didn't get a wink of sleep last night. That might be because I was fully dressed in jeans and slept above the covers. I distinctly remember waking up several times during the night because I was so cold. I don't know why I didn't just get under the covers. Anyway, this morning was rough. I made my bed and washed my face, grabbed my bag and trudged down the stairs. I felt groggy like I did when I had to get up early for work. It wasn't a good feeling.

When I walked through the already-open double doors of the castle I blinked. The light was too bright on my weary eyes. Only after they got adjusted did I see that there was something strange out here. Not the guards, they were all in position atop their horses, ready to take us back home. No the strange thing was that right beside the pink and white and gold carriage was an extra coach. One that was pitch black with silver trim. It didn't fit. I frowned. Then my brother came over to me.

As he took my bag he said, "You and your girl are riding with me, little brother."

I flushed and said, "M-My _girl_?"

Mario chuckled and then said wryly, "Yeah, your _girl_. The princess needs her space, or something like that."

I nodded and followed him. I wanted to know where the extra carriage came from but I already had a pretty good idea. If I was correct, then things were definitely not looking good. The way I saw it, the nicer the Dark King was, the worse his retaliation would be. It's like he's playing us, stringing us along to think he's forgotten about what went on during this trip. I knew better, though, and was dreading his eventual attack.

"Luigi!" Daisy called.

I turned round and saw her there, near the princess' coach. She was way more radiant than I this morning. Her dress was bright yellow and so were the canary-colored barrettes on either side of her head. The pretty things held her dark hair away from her face.

"So that's why you got up so early," I murmured, "to make yourself even more beautiful."

"What did you say?" Daisy piped curiously.

I shook my head, "Uh, nothing."

"Oh." She replied. "Well I heard your brother talking about taking separate carriages; that one over there came from the king, supposedly."

She pointed to the black coach and confirmed my suspicions.

"It isn't like him to just loan us a coach, though." She mused.

I nodded, "Yeah that's what I thought."

"You think maybe your friend was right?" she asked. "That the king is up to something?"

"It's not too late," I responded.

Daisy paused and then stated, "I want to thank you. For last night, and the night before."

"It was. I mean you're welcome." I revised.

_Thank you for not saying it was nothing, you dolt. Finally got something right_

She looked away and said, "I think I'll ride with the princess. Keep her company and maybe talk to her."

"That's a good idea," I told her. "I'll ride with my brother then."

Daisy nodded and leaned forward to hug me. I hugged her, and I gave her a kiss on the top of her head. Just because. She pulled back with a huge smile.

"I'll see you when we get home."

"Yeah, you too." I told her.

* * *

Pink and white satin everywhere. Daisy didn't see how Her Majesty could stand so much of the same colors. They were beautiful, no doubt, just a bit repetitive. No matter. She still appreciated riding in the comfortable and warm carriage. The experience reminded her of...old times. Times where the soft yellow dress, sheer white hose and clean dress shoes she wore weren't considered the nicest things she owned. In fact, the only reason why her dress shoes were so clean was because they hadn't seen that much action.

She began to fidget with her hands. The large smile so prevalent on her face a moment ago was now gone. She was anxious and she didn't know why. This morning just felt odd to her. Like something was off-balance. The girl jumped in her seat because in the next moment the door to the carriage was yanked open.

"Luigi," She breathed with her hand to her fluttering heart, "You scared me."

He didn't say anything. Daisy stared at him then. He didn't look right. His posture was rigid and his eyes were stone-cold. She really admired him for his quiet shyness, but this was different. He looked blank and distant. It wasn't like him.

"Did you need something, Luigi?" She asked worriedly.

Luigi regarded her critically, like he never had before. He stared her up and down, from her feet all the way to the top of her head. From the slight sneer that curled on his lips for a brief moment he obviously found her appearance...wanting. Daisy was hurt. It wasn't the first time she'd felt like this, low and unworthy and 'less-than', but it was the first time she'd felt like that around Luigi.

"Peach changed her mind. She's riding with Mario." There was that sneer again.

_What's going on with him? _Daisy wondered, _I know he has a few minor issues with his brother but this is just wrong. Why is he acting this way?_

"Oh." She said in response to Luigi's message, "I hope this means they'll work out their, uh, problem."

Again Luigi was silent. This silence didn't feel as comfortable as it normally did between them. Daisy was growing steadily concerned. Luigi blinked unaffectedly at her and started to leave. Daisy stopped him.

"Uh Luigi, since they're riding together, does that mean you're riding..." She took a breath and finished, "With me?"

"No." He stated flatly.

"Oh." She said almost inaudibly.

The girl slumped in her seat a bit and failed to conceal her augmenting hurt and disappointment. She was so confused. Luigi never acted this way before. He was so closed off. Didn't he like her?

_I thought we were getting so close, _she mused, _but now it seems like he doesn't want to be bothered._

In her last attempt to get through to him Daisy stopped Luigi from leaving once more. She laid her hand gently on his arm. He shook it off and stood tensed with his back to her. He waited though.

"Are you alright?" She wanted to know.

In a terse voice Luigi said without turning around, "I'm fine."

He left then without shutting the door. From the gap it created Daisy could see him walking stiffly away. _He is totally **not **fine,_ she thought resolutely. With that in mind, she pushed the door open the rest of the way with her foot and stepped out of the carriage. As soon as she got four or five steps closer to him he stopped and started walking towards her swiftly. The way he was closing in on her made her freeze. She hadn't ever felt this much fear around Luigi before. She flinched when he reached out his hand to grab her arm. His grip was tight, painful. Roughly he ushered her back to the carriage.

_Why is he doing this? What is going on? _She wondered frantically now. When they reached the coach she jerked away from him and took her seat in the plush vehicle. She tried to read him and couldn't. There was nothing on that slated face of his. It was downright disconcerting.

"Why are you hurting me?" She asked him in a voice that nearly broke, "What's wrong?"

There was a flicker of something in his eyes at her pleading tone but it vanished. He stood and watched her rub her sore arm without a word.

Until he told her, "Stay. Here."

Then he slammed the door shut behind him. Daisy blinked back tears. This was weird. So very weird. Luigi had never acted this way before. Was he really mental? Besides the depression? Did he have multiple personalities or something? Daisy wasn't judging, she just wanted to know for sure what the hell was going on. For the first time she was truly frightened of the man she thought she loved.

_I'll definitely have to talk to him when we get back home, _the girl decided.

* * *

"Hey Mario." I asked.

My brother turned from the window he was glaring at and faced me. His angry expression softened and he stopped tapping his booted foot against the carriage floor. He wasn't happy to be here. Neither was I. This carriage was cold and dark and foreign and felt wrong. The seats were carved of plain dark wood and the floor was just plain wood planks as well. I could tell already I would be sore from sitting on such a hard surface by the time we got back home. There were no curtains or fabrics to keep the coach insulated so it was also gonna' get cold. Great.

"What is it, little brother?" Mario asked me.

I told him, "I thought we'd be on the road by now, that's all."

He nodded and said, "You're right. I don't know what the hold-up is."

Before either of us could get another word in, the coach door was yanked open so hard it nearly lost its hinges. In the doorway the Dark King hung his head so that he could see us. There was a monstrous grin on his face. He was practically radiating smugness. That worried me.

"What do you want now?" My brother sneered.

The king only grinned harder and said, "I hope you two had a good time. If I catch you anywhere near my lands after today I'll kill you both myself."

I froze. So this is it, then. The king was showing his true colors.

Mario scoffed and said, "Same goes for you."

Bowser's smirk remained as he also said, "Enjoy your trip back to CandyCorn Kingdom."

He leaned away from the doorway and added in a snarl, "_And don't ever come back._"

Then he slammed the door so hard the entire coach rocked on its wheels. I got a terrible cold feeling in the pit of my gut but there was also relief; at least we were all getting back home in one piece. My brother didn't seem as upset as me, though.

He grunted and muttered under his breath, "Tch. He can count on it."

* * *

I don't know if it was just me, but it seemed like the ride to Mushroom Kingdom took forever. I mean, getting to Bowser's castle was a ride in itself, so I thought the ride home would be shorter since we knew the way. I was wrong. About four hours wrong. There was no mistaking it after I got out the coach. The place was dark. It had to be about ten or eleven at night. That was crazy. Why did it take us so long to get back here? Did the drivers take another route? I think my anxiety was at an all-time high. I've been having this sense of dread clenching my stomach in its fist the entire long ride back here. It still hasn't gone away. I tried to ignore it. We were finally home, so I should be happy, not anxious.

I stood next to the black coach and stretched my arms over my head. Like I predicted, I was sore in my lower body from the extended trip. Mario was doing the same exercises beside me while the royal guard dismounted and took up their positions on the broad white steps of the castle. I gave the familiar guard a nod, the one who'd helped me out a few days ago. He returned the gesture warmly. That helped ease me a little. I turned back to the coach and grabbed my bag from the floor. Mario left his there for the servants to fetch. The toads were emerging from the palace now, eager to help, although they were obviously tired just like us. They started leading the horses out back to the royal stables.

I followed my brother over to the pink coach warily. I say warily because I still felt this foreboding aura about the whole day. I just felt like something was wrong. As we approached, the door opened and Daisy came stepping out. The expression on her face was nothing short of tentative fear. She looked pale and troubled.

"What's wrong?" I immediately asked her.

Mario kept walking around us. Daisy had her hand to her arm as if protecting it. I got closer to her and she flinched backwards. Was she afraid of me all of a sudden? Why was that? I frowned because there was so much uncertainty in her eyes and I hated it. I didn't want her to ever feel that way around me. Like she was dealing with a dangerous animal or something. I love her, I think, and I would never hurt her.

"Daisy, what's wrong?" I asked more insistently.

She pursed her lips and said, "I could ask you the same."

"What do you mean?" I replied.

The girl studied me cautiously and quietly asked, "Can I talk to you in private?"

I nodded and walked with her over to the top of the steps. We stood to the side of the castle doors. It was a secluded enough spot. I waited for her to begin speaking.

"You've been acting strange, Luigi." She told me.

I eyed her oddly and said, "What?"

"Earlier." She stated, "When we were talking. You sounded...and then you grabbed me."

The girl had her hand wrapped around her bare arm up until now. She let her fingers uncoil and revealed to me a large bruise in the making. It stood out against her creamy skin and not in a good way. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of it. I stared at it incredulously.

"What the hell is that?" I asked lowly.

She stammered, "Y-you hurt me here. When you grabbed me earlier."

I shook my head, "I didn't. I didn't do this."

"But you did! You came and told me the princess was riding with Mario and that you. You didn't want to ride with me."

Her voice was honest and deeply hurt. I paled and started to panic. If what she was saying was true, then we'd all been had. I didn't know what was going on, but someone had clearly hurt her and that was not cool. I had to get to the bottom of what was going on.

"This might sound crazy," I started, "But I didn't say or do any of those things. Daisy, you gotta' believe me. I swear I would never hurt you."

She gazed right in my eyes and admitted, "I didn't think it was really you."

I was careful when I pulled her into my arms. I couldn't help but hug her, she looked near-to-tears. I kissed her head and rubbed her back.

In a whisper I told her, "I thought the princess was with you the whole time."

She frowned and pulled back, saying, "Wait. So she isn't with you?"

"No." I answered slowly.

A determined air was suddenly about her. "Something's very wrong here, then."

* * *

It was the third time but still he knocked. His knuckles rapped soundly against the finely-crafted coach door. He got no answer though. That didn't deter him. He put his clammy hands away in his pockets and cleared his throat. He was nervous, he couldn't lie.

"Peach." He spoke.

Again he cleared his throat. "Peach I know you're in there."

No response.

He sighed and said, "Look. I know you can hear me. So I'll just...say it. I've been acting like a complete jerk for, well, for a long time now. I've been hurting you and saying stupid things and I'm sorry. Honestly I am. I shouldn't have been arguing with you and I never meant to hurt your feelings. I love you and don't want to see you cry anymore."

Mario blinked rapidly just thinking about the things he'd said and done. His actions were no use against the prickling sensation behind his eyes. Still he continued.

"I'm. I'm tired of this. It tears me up to see you cry and I'm. I'm real sorry for everything." He admitted.

There was silence on the other side of the door.

Mario sighed and asked, "Will you please come out and give this big dummy a chance to make things right again?"

His princess didn't reply, nor did she exit the coach.

The new prince dropped his shoulders and felt his heart get ten times heavier. The lump that lodged in his throat refused to budge. He felt low.

"Alright." He said, "I guess I, uh, deserve the silent treatment. But I meant what I said. I really will do better from now on."

He knocked and said, "Peach please come out."

Nothing happened.

_Now I know she has a stubborn streak but this is just ridiculous, _he frowned.

"What more do you want from me?" He said exasperatedly, "I said I'm sorry, I. I love you Peach and I wanna fix this so please just."

That silence that followed was the last straw. Mario cleared his face and steeled his resolve.

In a hard voice he said, "Okay. Then you'll just have to forgive me, princess."

He opened the door and was surprised to find that not only was it not locked, it was empty.

Completely empty.

* * *

Daisy and I were running like Mario and I used to when Scapelli tried beating us to a job. We were headed for that pink coach. That was where Mario was. We had to get down to the source of what was going on here. With Daisy on my heels, we approached the ex-plumber panting and nervous as all outdoors. Whatever I was about to say didn't matter once I saw the look on my brother's face. He turned to face us and stepped aside. The carriage next to him was empty. I winced. So he knew, then.

"What's going on?" He asked me flatly.

I shook my head, "We don't know."

"Peach." Mario said as if I hadn't spoken, "Where is she?"

Again I told him, "We don't know."

My brother's eyes roved over to Daisy and something flashed in them. He strode towards her and took her by the arms none too gently. He had to have grasped her bruise because she gave a surprised, pained shriek. There were tears in her eyes but those tears didn't fall. That struck a nerve in me.

"You rode with her," Mario accused, "Where is she?"

I shoved my brother away from her and said angrily, "Why don't you leave her the hell alone, Mario? If you'd listen for once you'd have heard me say we don't know. We don't know anything. We're all in the dark here."

Before I said something else I turned to Daisy. She let me hold her. I stroked over her bruised arm gently and glared at my brother. But only long enough for him to get the point. He did and took a deep breath. There he was, running a hand through his hair again. His hand was shaking.

"When's the last time you saw her?" I asked my brother calmly.

It took a lot for me to remain calm but I had to. For Daisy, who was shivering in my arms. And for Mario, who was only just starting to get a grip. He drew his lips in a tight frown and gazed off to the side.

"Before I got in the carriage." Mario responded, then widened his eyes in realization.

I said for him, "The horseman: they must have seen her."

All three of us bounded towards the royal guard. There were still some horses that had yet to be put away. The toads were falling over themselves in their tiredness and weren't moving as quickly as they normally did in this late hour. As a result, some of the horseman were still at their designated spots with the pink carriage still hitched up. The toad horseman who were there were dead silent. That was creepy. But not as creepy as what happened next.

Mario went over to the two of them and demanded, "When is the last time you saw the princess?"

The two toads shared a look but didn't reply. That only made my brother even more terse.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" He scowled.

There was a flash of light and we all shielded our eyes. When the brightness died down, the toads were gone. In their place stood two of those wretched-looking Koopas. Peasley was right, they had to be at least six and a half feet tall. They sure had my brother beat in the height department, and me as well. Daisy and I were shocked to see them. Mario swore loudly and grabbed one of them.

"Where is she?!" He yelled.

The Koopa in his arms brought his hands up and snapped its own neck. The sight and sound of the action caused a bunch of bile to rise in my throat. I made a face and swallowed it back down, as gross as that sounds. I just wasn't expecting something like that to happen.

_The thing killed itself! It killed itself! What the hell?_

Mario didn't even seem fazed. He just snorted as if unimpressed and dropped the Koopa to the ground. Meanwhile, the royal guards had the foresight to detain the other Koopa while Mario was attempting to interrogate the first. The apprehended Koopa wrestled and writhed in the royal guards' grip. That's right; it took about three of the guards to keep him still and make sure he didn't take any hints from his buddy. Even they couldn't predict what then occurred.

Just as Mario got over to them, intent on getting answers, this Koopa fumbled his tongue around in its mouth. Whatever it was searching for, it found it and chewed, then swallowed. In the next second the Koopa went completely limp. Like Mario had, the royal guards dropped him. My brother was fuming.

This right here, what had just transpired, made Junior's performance seem like a mild bout of culture shock. I had never witnessed something so clinically gruesome in all my life. By the way Daisy had paled and was nearly in tears I'd say she hadn't either. She had her fist up to her mouth and was biting down on her thumb.

Other than his obvious anger, Mario wasn't affected by what happened. He didn't seem shocked or freaked out at all. He just had his eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted in a sneer. He looked slighted. Offended. But not horrified or particularly disgusted. He closed his eyes, breathed out through his nose, and let his face become neutral. With this new coldness he addressed the guards.

"Get rid of these things." He nudged his toe against the dead Koopa's back while issuing that unfeeling order.

The guards nodded and a few of them hoisted up the Koopas and began taking them away. Away where? To be buried? To be thrown out back in a ditch somewhere? I didn't know. Not with Mario, not anymore. He wasn't the same. I think the war's changed him in ways I'm only just now seeing. It did frighten me but I decided to accept this was who he was now.

After the guards left the area, I noticed there was a slip of paper on the steps. It was beige and seemed like rich parchment. I had a bad feeling about it. Mainly because it seemed so out of place. Where had it even come from? Mario noticed it a moment after I did. He bent to pick it up and took a few minutes to read over it. He read it again. And again. And one last time before he crushed it in his fist and stormed inside the palace.

Daisy and I shared a worried look, hers much more expressive than mine. Then we followed my brother inside.

"What's going on?" I asked Mario, "Where is Peach? Why aren't we searching for her?"

Predictably Mario didn't answer me. He stalked through the castle in wordless fury. I didn't know what the hell was happening. What was on that paper that could make him act this way? Why wasn't he out there, hopping on a horse and looking for the princess?

"Mario," I spoke to his back, "Mario, talk to me!"

He stopped then. I looked up and saw that we'd arrived at the war room. I knew that was no accident. Mario looked at me and there was so much contained ire all over his face, in his quivering shoulders and balled fists.

"You wanna know what's going on?" He growled, "Read it for yourself!"

He shoved the paper at me and slammed the war room door behind him. I was totally taken aback. Very often I'd seen Mario mad and angry but he'd never lost it like this. I swallowed hard and looked at the paper in my hands. It looked so innocuous. I smoothed over its surface with my thumbs.

"Let's go." I murmured to Daisy.

It was late so all of the castle was dark. I led Daisy up the stairs to my temporary room and held the door open for her. I closed it behind me and set my bag down on the floor. She and I both sat on the bed. She scooted right up under me. I turned on the lamp that rested on the fancy nightstand and blinked. I had to get used to the soft light. Even after I did I didn't read the paper. Just looked at it. The handwriting was neat and flowing cursive. Very elegant and in black ink. The parchment was incredibly wrinkled thanks to my brother but I could still tell it was expensive paper.

"Luigi," Daisy whispered, "What does it say?"

I put it between us so that we could both read it at the same time. I had a feeling whatever was on it, I didn't want to have to repeat it to her or anyone else. I'd rather we read it at the same time. So we did.

_If you're reading this, it means you've already arrived back at CandyCorn Kingdom, _the first line read. My eyes widened of their own accord.

"Bowser." I whispered. "He wrote this."

With that in mind, it was his smug voice I heard reading the remainder of the note. The experience was anything but pleasant.

_You've discovered the impostor guards by now, and if those creatures know what's good for them they've offed themselves before you got the chance to pick their brains. You like that? I got that trick from you, you know, you bastard plumber. _

I frowned at that. What was the king talking about? What did he learn from Mario? Certainly not that suicide tactic. Right? I shook it off and kept reading.

_By now you've no doubt noticed by now that your lovely fiancee is missing; or am I giving you too much credit, you oblivious fool? Either way, you know now. Don't worry about her, though. She's in good hands. I'll be taking care of her better than you ever could. In fact, she'll make a fine empress, don't you agree? Whether you do or not is of no consequence. It's already done. If you want her back so badly, you're welcome to challenge me for her. But be warned, if you so much as set foot in my territory you're dead, plumber. Besides, you have a sugary little kingdom to watch over. Guard it closely. It might not be there for long. _

I read that letter again, and then a third time. Only then did I understand Mario's actions. Not only was Bowser admitting he had the taken the princess, AGAIN, but he was gloating about it and calling my brother names. It made me wonder how Mario restrained himself from tearing something apart. Maybe that was what he was doing in that war room. I could see the underlying threat the Dark King had against the Mushroom Kingdom and knew that was also nothing new. All of this, the kidnapping, the imperialistic intentions towards this kingdom, the goading. I'd seen it all before.

_So how come it feels so different, so much more dangerous and scary this time around? _

The only thing I could see was that the king had changed. _He'd_ gotten more scary. _He'd_ gotten more dangerous. Consequently, his threats and actions were even worse now. I suddenly felt this intense emotion. Worry? No. Dread? No, stronger than that. I couldn't name it but it was all for Peach. What would become of her? The Dark King's lair was no place for the righteous princess.

"This is terrible." Daisy remarked. She was still pale as a sheet.

I sighed and said, "No kidding."

"What are we going to do?" She wondered.

While I put the letter down, I told her, "What _can _we do?"

"Luigi, we have to do _something."_ she insisted.

"Yeah, yeah, I agree," I assured her, "I just don't know what we can do, is all."

She was quiet.

"This is crazy," I said after a while. "What does he want with her anyway?"

That wasn't what I meant to ask. I meant to question what the Lord of the Badlands had to gain by snatching the princess like that. I already knew all the unsavory reasons why the king may have taken her. Empress most likely entailed a lot.

"That isn't very hard to figure out." Daisy replied, "The princess. She's beautiful."

_You are too, _I wanted to tell her.

Daisy continued with, "Plus he's had a history of kidnapping her."

"That's true." I acceded. "Wait. How did you know that?"

She looked a bit panicked but the expression faded. She coolly replied, "When it's your ruler being taken it's hard for you not to notice."

I nodded. "Ah. I understand."

"But if we go there and try to help her," I argued, "Bowser's men would tear us apart. His army is flawless. Even his son could kill us."

Daisy quickly said, "Junior isn't like that. He wouldn't kill us."

"Oh but to him it's not killing, Daisy." I reminded her gently, "He would do it. I believe he would. If his father ordered it."

The girl nodded reluctantly. "I know Bowser is dangerous and taking him on would be nearly impossible but we have to do something to help the princess."

"What we need to do now is rest." I advised.

I didn't know about her, but I was exhausted and sore and aching as if I'd been doing squats for the last hour. I need to sleep. A good bit of rest would help me think straight. That was what we'd need to go about this most successfully; clear heads.

"You're right," Daisy said softly, "It's late. Would it be alright if I stayed in here?"

I nodded and kicked off my trainers. This would be the second time I slept in my clothes but right now I didn't care. I just laid down and made room for Daisy on the small bed. I think I was out before she was, but I fell asleep with her in my arms.

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**A/N: This is short for one reason only; this is the last chapter that is in Luigi's POV. I repeat, the story will no longer be in Luigi's POV. Any guesses on whose POV it'll be in from now on? I'd love to hear them. Also, I'd like to see what you think so far. Is this story getting too dark? If so, I don't know what to tell you. It'll only get darker from here on out. **

**There's also a lot of Bowser/Peach to come in the next chapter so don't stop reading! What will the heroes do? Obviously Mario won't take this lying down. Oh, and what did you guys think about his changed personality? I took a lot of liberties with the characters so please alert me if you guys aren't really feelin it. **

**~DymondGold~**


	16. Chapter 16

**This took me a while to get out, school has begun again :/ I have decided to leave the story in Luigi's POV, though he isn't in this chapter at all. **

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

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**Chapter Sixteen**

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The princess awoke with the sensation of floating. Floating in an abysmal pool of darkness. No, this darkness was good. It felt so much better than earlier when she. When she...she couldn't remember, but earlier there was darkness and helpless floating through dark space. Now she was very much grounded in a sea of soft black silkiness.

_Sheets, _her muddled mind figured out, _I'm in a bed. A large bed with incredibly great sheets. These are even more comfortable than the linen and satin back at the palace...wait a minute_

The princess suddenly sat up with a jolt. No, she was not home in the palace, that would explain the different sheets. No, Mario was not beside her and no, this was not the gown she went to bed in. This one was white like hers, but not nearly as modest. She blinked and brought those thin black sheets up to her chin. With her knees up to her chest she began to panic.

_Where am I? Who put these clothes on me? And why do I feel so...tired? _

She wracked her brain and came up with a part of an explanation.

_I forgot we were in Bowser's kingdom. But wait. It's just me now; where's Mario? He and I slept in the same room. This isn't the same one as before, though. _

No, this room was much grander than the guest quarters she and her fiance were lodged in before. So what was going on? Why was she in the bed of what could only be the master bedroom?

The princess held her body in that hunched position and scooted to the head of the bed, nestling herself in the pillows. Through wide blue eyes she looked around the room. It was dimly-lit by a series of torches along all four walls, she could see that much. They crackled and popped softly in their golden ring holders. The bed she sat on was four-poster and made of a rich, cherry-colored wood. It sat in the center of this wall, the one to the far left. Speaking of left, as she looked that way from her position she saw a door that was open enough to reveal a bathroom and a nightstand beside the bed. Atop the polished wood something glittered.

_My crown, _Peach mused, _what is it doing here in this room? _

She looked from the nightstand and saw four slim, tall windows along the same wall as the bathroom. Each window was obscured completely by thick black woven tapestries. In front of those windows were three squat dressers. Every wood structure in the room was made of that same cherry-oak. These dressers sat low on the floor and only had three drawers each. The dresser in the mirror was a bit taller than the two on the ends, and it also held a vanity mirror and small chair. Again she saw something of hers on the middle dresser.

_My hairbrush, _she thought. She was getting increasingly confused.

On the far right wall directly across from her, she saw a door. Unlike the bathroom door, this one was closed. She had no hint of what was on the other side. Beside that unknown door there was a black decorative couch. On the wall to the right of the bed there was nothing worth noting. More torches and a large armoire that took up a great deal of space. There was also another nightstand beside the other side of the bed.

_It's a beautiful room, _she acceded, _but why am I here? _

She looked up then and saw a great white-candle chandelier, all gold and twinkling. She rose a brow and mused, _it would seem someone has a penchant for the gold and grandiose. _

Suddenly a dark chuckle filled the room. A sound not so sinister as it was...enticing? Peach shivered in the bed at the thought and sought out the one who'd laughed: though she already knew who it was.

"Evening, Princess," The Dark King himself drawled.

She pulled the sheets even closer to her and sat up straight. There he was, near the door leading out of the room. He had a smirk on his face, taunting her with his jade eyes, as if he knew that that laugh of his did things to her. She could feel herself getting nervous the closer he came. It was no wonder. Save for the black pants and boots he wore, he was bare. From the waist up his tan skin shone under the flickering lights of the room. His hair was down and wild around those ivory-colored horns on either side of his head. He didn't stop advancing until he stood at the foot of the giant bed. It was then that he crossed his arms. His biceps flexed under the gold bands on his arms.

Peach had to take a moment and stop looking at his body to gaze at his face. But no, that face was just as bad. Curse him for looking more devilishly handsome than a male, human or otherwise, had a right to. She blushed and looked from him to her lap where the sheets were pooled. It was the only safe place to rest her eyes. Once she wasn't distracted anymore, she swallowed and regarded his words.

_Evening? Was it really so late? _

She couldn't tell because the black tapestries blocked out every inch of the windows and whatever light that may have been on the other side. She dared a glance at him.

She stared only long enough to ask, "Evening?"

The king was smirking knowingly as if he knew exactly why her question was voiced so meekly. As if he knew she was pitting her mind and better judgement against her body and emotions.

_I can't be that transparent, _She assured herself, _He can't read me that easily...can he? _

If he could, he didn't let on. The Lord of the Badlands tilted his head and pierced her with his sharp gaze. She couldn't look away if she wanted to, not now.

"Yes, evening." He said at last. "It would seem you slept for hours."

Her eyes widened and she whispered, "Hours?"

"Yes. Hours. Getting your beauty rest, eh?" Bowser teased, then said in a low voice, "By the looks of it you've taken more than your share, Princess."

Peach flushed at the compliment and ignored her heart hammering away as if Boom-Boom himself were beating around behind her chest. She was starting to shake, her hands were, so she clasped them tightly and set them in her lap. Bowser curiously observed her.

He said, "I do think I'm at fault for that. I did use an awful strong sedative."

The princess froze. "S-Sedative?"

_He knocked me out?_ She worriedly wondered, _When did this happen and why can't I remember? _

"Yeah," Bowser said as if in answer to her unspoken question, "You looked like you could use some rest so I took the liberty of helping you out."

"I don't understand," Peach spoke quietly. "Where is Mario and the others? We were supposed to leave this morning and. If you say its evening. And I'm...still here...What's going on?"

Peach was already starting to piece things together. She did remember getting dressed, speaking with the king this morning (_or more like having him grope me this morning, _she thought with a frown), and then sitting in her own pink coach. However, that's where her memory started to go fuzzy.

_Now if he said he sedated me earlier, that can only mean..._Peach really began to sweat. Those observations could only mean he'd done it. He'd gotten her in his clutches once more. But how? Mario wouldn't leave her, he cared too much. And he really couldn't stand Bowser. So how was this possible? How was she still stuck here?

The Dark King started to move again. With his smirk still in place, he cut the corner near the foot of the bed and stood beside the nightstand on the right. Peach scooted that much closer to the other end of the bed. Bowser only grinned.

"Where are Mario and the others?" The royal asked again.

"You already know, Princess." He said, "They've all gone back to CandyCorn Kingdom."

Hearing those words aloud stunned Peach. _It can't be true, _she reasoned, _there has to be an explanation. _She pushed her hair behind her ear. _Why is my hair down? I never wear it this way, _she thought idly. All of this was making her head hurt. And she still felt so weak and tired. She needed to get to the bottom of this, and to do that she'd have to be assertive; she couldn't let Bowser intimidate her.

"Tell me where they are, King Koopa." Peach ordered resolutely. "Mario wouldn't leave me."

The king leaned both his hands on the bed. The sheets and mattress depressed under his weight. Again the princess scooted away from him, but she held onto her firm resolve.

"No. He certainly wouldn't leave you." Bowser admitted quietly. He then added, "Unless he was under the impression that you were actually with him, still."

Again Peach was confused. "Why are you talking in riddles?"

"Riddles?" He asked with a quirked brow. "Well let me be clear. Mario, daft as he is, didn't come to check on you before he left. To his incredibly limited knowledge, you were still in the separate coach."

"But I was in a separate coach." The princess argued, "I was. Until."

"Until one of my magicians came along and sedated you." He filled in for her, "While your dear stupid plumber was none the wiser."

_So that's what happened, _Peach realized, _he really has done it again_. She frowned delicately and crossed her arms over her chest. She was not impressed. Now that she could see the Dark King hadn't changed as much as she thought, a bit of her confidence was restored to her. _He may look very different, _she mused, _but he's the same old underhanded, scheming crook he's always been. _

"You said you wouldn't kidnap me anymore." She remarked accusingly.

The king grinned even harder and said, "Did I? Well I lied. You'll have to get used to it, Princess. In fact, you'll have to get used to a lot of things now that you're mine."

"What?" Peach frowned.

"As long as you reside in my home, you belong to me." He informed her with a sly smile. "Here you will spend the rest of your days as my Empress. If you are willing."

"And if I am not?" She challenged.

The princess wouldn't let those beautiful jade eyes get to her. She was _not _becoming a cohort of His Royal Badness. Especially not one that would be so intimately involved with the king.

Bowser pushed himself off of the bed and said, "If you aren't willing then I suppose that is the end of whatever could have become between the two of us."

Peach had a feeling the sad and hurt tone he took on was totally feigned. She was used to him capturing her by now so she was hardly fazed by his words. She was only surprised that he was giving up so easily. _What is he up to? _

"So if I am not willing to stay here," Peach continued carefully, "You'll let me go home?"

Bowser looked affronted. He folded his arms again and said, "But of course! I would love for you to remain here but certainly not if it makes you unhappy."

_Okay, this is definitely not like him, _She surmised. Since when did she have a say in these kidnappings? Was he really just going to let her go? She didn't like the way this situation was playing out. This wasn't like him at all. Had he changed after all?

Peach asked once more, "So if I am to understand you correctly, you're going to let me go home after you went to all the trouble to kidnap me? So long as I am not willing to stay here?"

She wanted to make sure she wasn't being bamboozled or tricked by the sneaky king. This all just sounded too good to be true. Bowser smiled in a way that was mildly benevolent and nodded, then dropped his arms back down to his sides. He strode around the bed, towards the bathroom, and stopped in front of her. Peach was unsure of his intentions and sat rigidly under the protection of the sheets. Bowser, however, didn't do anything particularly evil. He just offered her his hand.

"What do you..." Peach trailed uncertainly.

He said, "Take my hand, Princess. I'm going to bring you to another of my personal coach's. That way you can get back home safely."

_Surely he can't be serious? What has gotten into him? _Peach had never recalled being so confused and disoriented all in one day before. And that was including her previous kidnapping experiences. She didn't see the harm in calling him on his bluff, though. She hesitantly let the sheets drop and slid her clammy hand into his. His grin was instantaneous. She almost regretted her actions and wholly expected something terrible to happen in the next moment.

But nothing did.

He just helped her to stand, is all. She left the bed and followed the king on wobbly legs to the door. She still felt so tired and sluggish and it almost nauseated her to walk but she kept going. She had to get out of here. Maybe when she really was back home she could truly feel better. When they both reached the door the king stopped. Peach stopped as well and knitted her brows. Before she could even ask what he was stopping for, he rounded on her.

The king had her pinned between his body and the door in the blink of an eye. He held her there with his sheer presence alone. Both his hands were planted on the door beside either side of her head. She was trapped and now had no choice but to acknowledge him. Peach paled and swallowed hard.

He was so close, much too close. She could make out every taut line in his chest and torso and it made her nervous because as much as she hated to admit it, he was so very handsome and muscular and just everything an evil, despicable person ought not be. He knew exactly what kind of power he was wielding in that moment. That smirk told her so. Bowser leaned his head down level with hers. In a voice so smooth and quintessentially sinful, he spoke to her.

"Before you go running off to that plumber," He began slowly, "to live a life of...relative happiness, I want you to think long and hard about what it is you're giving up."

Peach was trembling. Whether it was from the closeness and the heat his body or the way he was eyeing her so intensely or the fact that she felt completely and utterly trapped, she didn't know. But she was shaking like a baby leaf in the winter wind. Of course this didn't escape the king's notice. He seemed pleased at her reaction.

"I've seen the way he acts," Bowser murmured, "He doesn't listen to you. Doesn't pay you the respect and attention you deserve. Isn't that why you two have been arguing so much?"

She was taken aback. "How do you know that?"

"Know what? That you've been snapping at each other since you've been here?" He asked patiently, "Or that he hasn't been treating you right?"

When the princess didn't respond, Bowser said, "I watch you and I see things. I see how unsatisfied you are in that relationship. Which is why I ask: why don't you ditch the lousy pipes-for-brains already?"

Peach took a calming breath to soothe her nerves. She hadn't been prepared for this. To be confronted about her relationship by Bowser of all people, that is. It was unsettling. She almost didn't know how to respond to his assumptions, his very _accurate _assumptions.

She told the king in a shaky voice, "I'm not 'ditching' Mario just because we sometimes argue. All couples have their disagreements."

_Why does it sound like I'm preaching to myself at the moment? _

Bowser didn't look at all convinced. He said, "Not all of them, precious. That's why you need to drop the loser and submit yourself to me. I could show you how love really works."

Now the princess scoffed a bit. She surprised herself with the action but she felt it was warranted. Seriously. Bowser speaking of love? It was ludicrous. He was a twisted, heartless creature. The word shouldn't even be in his vocabulary. _  
_

"What would you know about love, King Koopa?" She said quietly, "You are a tyrant and a monster. What Mario and I have, that's love. I'm not leaving him. Not for the likes of you."

The king chuckled. Her words didn't deter him in the least. Unfortunately for her, Peach was not so insusceptible to that chuckle as she would have liked. It stirred something in her when he laughed like that, all deep and seductive-like. She was shamed for it but the fact remained: she was attracted to the king. Very much so. Still she tried to fight against it.

"What you and Mario have," The king raved, "is pathetic. If he really loved you, he wouldn't have let this happen."

"That's not true." Peach immediately replied.

Bowser smirked, "Oh isn't it?"

_Of course it's not. Mario had no way of preventing this from happening. This kidnapping is all Bowser's fault, he planned this and the blame lies not with Mario. It has nothing to do with how much or how little he loves me. _

All that reasoning and yet the princess was still uneasy. She didn't want to believe a word Bowser was saying but this was such a bad time. Maybe if he'd attacked her with these notions earlier in their relationship, when things were good and easy. But right now his words had more truth in them then she liked to admit. Still, she gave Mario the benefit of the doubt.

"I may be a monster," Bowser admitted silkily, "But at least I know better than to let something so valuable be snatched right from under my nose. Can you say the same about the plumber?"

Peach blinked and looked to the side. She told the king, "I am not a 'thing' to be coveted. I'm not a prize or possession."

Bowser took one hand from the door and used two fingers to cradle her chin. After he'd turned her head back to face him, he gave her one of those intrusive stares. The kind where he appeared to know whether she was holding something back or not telling the truth.

"You're dodging the question, Your Highness." He taunted.

Indeed she was. Her eyes watered. How did he come to know her so well? She couldn't fathom the answer and it scared her how much he could see straight through her. She needed to end this, to get away from him and back to Mario.

"Do you really want to go back to him?" Bowser drawled coincidentally. "Back to being overlooked and taken for granted?"

Of course she didn't, but what was the alternative? Staying here and becoming a slave to the Dark King's will? She wouldn't dare. Maybe what she had with Mario wasn't as ideal as what it used to be, but it was a whole lot better than being stuck with the king.

Wasn't it?

Bowser still had his fingers under her chin. Peach swallowed and could bet that he felt the motion. He moved his hand from her chin up to her cheek. The tyrant ran the back of his fingers along her jaw and all the while stared at her with some genuine emotion in his gold-flecked eyes. He was starting to really frighten her now. He was so hard to read. She hated not knowing what he would do next. In this case, he took her hands. He cradled both of her hands in his before bringing them up to his mouth. Peach felt herself feel faint. It was different than the weakness that was already plaguing her. This sort of weakness was wholly emotional.

"Peach," He said her name as softly as the plush carpet felt against her bare feet, "Peach." He said again.

She felt like she was about to swoon. This was too much. What was he trying to do, saying her name like that? Why did his voice do this to her? His voice alone! As he kissed each of her knuckles tenderly, he spoke his dark promise.

"You don't have to put up with that." He told her. "Stay here and reign beside me. You'll want for nothing. Anything you desire will be yours; I'll give you the world, should you ask it."

Peach felt a mix of terror and helplessness and total bewilderment. The cold wood at her back and the carpet her toes were clenching were the only things keeping her grounded. She was lightheaded and with him kissing her hands like that, as if they were two bricks of solid gold, she couldn't exactly think straight.

Against her fingertips he whispered, "I'll be real good to you, you'll see. You'll be happier here than you ever were with him."

Peach was overwhelmed. He was telling her what she wanted hear. He was promising her things she didn't even realize she wanted or was missing with Mario. But could he deliver?

_Wait, why am I even considering this? It's the Lord of the Badlands! The black-hearted liar and destroyer of kingdoms! _

She shut her eyes and breathed in through her nose. She really had to get out of here before she succumbed to him against her better judgement.

Politely but with much trepidation she told him, "I won't stay. I don't belong here. My place is with Mario."

Inside Peach applauded herself. It wasn't easy to turn down what the king was offering. Her heart wanted to say yes, to feel wanted and appreciated for once in a long time. But her mind was reminding her of past encounters with the evil Koopa. He cheated and he swindled and he was most likely stringing her along. He knew of her dissonance with Mario and was simply exploiting it to his advantage. That was all.

Bowser's face melted into a mask of neutrality. He gave both her palms one last kiss each before setting them down by her sides.

"I see." He said flatly. "Very well. If you're so set on sticking with pasta-loving moron, then I guess I'll have to oblige you. Right this way, Princess."

He reached around her and turned the crystal knob on the door, then gave it a push. Peach nearly fell after the door swung out from behind her. Bowser caught her by the arm and helped steady her. Every single touch of his felt like a mark in her virtuous ledger. It made her feel like she was indulging in something criminal. She smiled in a strained show of thanks and took her arm from his grasp. He stepped past her, into the hall, and led the way. She let her bottom lip pass between her teeth before following him.

The further they walked down the dark corridor, the more acutely aware Peach was of her tiredness. She felt incredibly sick to her stomach now. She knew it had something to do with the sedative Bowser mentioned earlier. Or maybe he poisoned her. She didn't know which but something was definitely making her want to heave. She began to lag behind as the king kept striding through his palace at a rapid pace. He looked over his shoulder and didn't even seemed surprised to see how slow she was moving.

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" he asked in a voice dripping with false concern.

It was false to her at least. She had it in her mind that he knew just what was wrong with her and was testing her. So with that idea in mind, she gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms around herself. Partly to keep the trembling that was wracking her body at bay, and partly to cover the indecent amount of cleavage the nightgown she had on exposed.

"I'm fine." She replied tersely.

_I'll be better as soon as I'm in the coach on my way back home, _She thought to herself.

After hearing her response he started walking once more. They left the royal wing and were about to get to the front doors. Only instead of turning left where they were located, the king turned right. He led Peach past the throne room and down a series of stairs. The princess stopped. Bowser did too and turned to her in the darkened stairwell as if he'd anticipated this reaction.

"What's the matter?" He asked her, "Don't you want to go home?"

She said, "I do but the front doors are back that way."

He told her, "Indeed they are. But I'd like to show you something first, if you don't mind."

Peach hesitated. Bowser climbed back up the stairs to where she'd stopped on the first step and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. She shivered and backed away, making him smirk.

"It'll only take a moment. After that, I promise I'll show you to a coach and you'll be on your way home." He vowed.

_What choice do I have? _

She blew out a soft sigh and he could see that she'd capitulated. Thus he began walking down the stairs again with her in tow. When they got to the bottom, he lit his hand ablaze as easily as one would snap their fingers. In the light Peach could see that they'd come a long way from the ground floor. All around them were doors. She gasped.

_This place really is huge! There's a whole underground palace down here._

Bowser stood at the base of the stairs for only a moment. In that moment Peach surveyed the vast area of stone floor and the numerous amount of wooden doors all around. There had to be at least thirty different rooms. How could that be?

Bowser started striding towards one of the rooms and Peach followed, albeit apprehensively. She didn't need to pick up her gown to save its hem from the grimy soot floor; the gown was well above her shins. She felt goosebumps prickle on her skin because it was cold and dark and gloomy. Perhaps the only cold area in all of Bowser's palace. He opened one of the doors and let her step in first. She had only taken one step before she halted, paralyzed with fear.

In this particular room there were hundreds of sleeping Koopas. The ones Peach had seen at Junior's performance were small but intimidating enough. These creatures here, though they were all sprawled on cots and resting, they seemed absolutely terrifying. They were huge, maybe seven or eight feet some of them. And the noise they were making could be called snoring if it weren't so deafening and downright creepy. She shivered and backed out of the room. Bowser watched her in amusement.

"You see these guys," The king explained, "They make up about a small percentage of my army. The rest of the troops are in the other rooms. They're quite a lethal force. I'm sure you probably know this from what you've seen of their offspring."

Peach said, "Why did you want to show me this?"

Bowser started heading towards the staircase again. Peach trailed after him feeling sicker and sicker as the minutes dragged on. This stagnant air was not helping her situation at all.

"You must understand," The king started, "When I am denied what I want most, it vexes me. And when I'm vexed enough, I tend to take it out on others. Bad habit, you might say."

Peach didn't like where this was going. She climbed the stairs laboriously after the king.

He continued with, "I wonder. If I were to unleash my forces on that sugary kingdom of yours, how long would your people would be able to withstand them?"

The princess froze.

"A month? A few weeks? Days?" He guessed blithely. "Who knows. I doubt those bumbling 'soldiers' of yours could handle my little son, let alone my entire army. No, that kingdom would fall in only a short matter of time."

"No." Peach breathed. "Don't."

Bowser eyed her nonchalantly. "Aren't you coming? I thought you wanted to hurry home?"

Peach remained still as a stone in the middle of the flight of stairs. She had a horror-stricken look upon her face. So this was it, then. This was the catch. She had to remain with him or be responsible for the total annihilation of Mushroom Kingdom. Now she really felt ill.

Bowser stepped back down and stood on the stair above her. He folded his arms and regarded her solemnly. She felt her eyes sting as she looked at him, wondering how he could be so. So. Just plain evil and poor-sported. He didn't seem bothered by his own nastiness at all.

He said in a no-nonsense tone, "Alright, Princess. We've played this game long enough. Let there be no more pretenses between us."

Peach felt her knees start to buckle. Her head was spinning. She saw all those Koopas and imagined them being let loose on the men, women, and children of her home.

"You know what I want." Bowser continued, "And if I am denied, you know what will happen."

He gestured to the room they'd previously visited. Peach blinked back tears. Bowser didn't seem to be moved by her mounting emotions.

"Now you must make your choice." He stated calmly. "You can stay here with me and I'll not touch that kingdom. Or you can go scurrying back to the plumber and have my armies at your door."

Peach still could not find her voice. She couldn't believe it had come down to this. If she went back home to Mario, everybody she cared about would be put in immediate danger. There was no way her kingdom or her armies were ready for the kind of creatures Bowser had festering under his castle. But on the other hand, if she stayed with the king, who's to say he'd make good on his promise and leave her home alone? What if he trapped her here, and attacked them anyway? What if she lost her home and family and still had to live out her days under his harsh authority?

_How did I get into this mess? _She lamented, _What do I do? _

The sickness from the sedatives in her system coupled with Bowser's startling ultimatum did a number on Peach's nerves. She felt herself give in to the heady sensation of falling and was out before her head hit the stone floor.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was boring and dragging, but that was from a writer's standpoint. I hope it was a good read! It's more necessary transition stuff really. The next parts will be fun for me to write so I want you to stay tuned! **

**Oh, and please review. You guys gave me an overwhelming response last chapter, it inspired me to write this even though I'm in a ton of pain. Tell me what you think so far, as usual, and also what you think our dear princess should do! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	17. Chapter 17

**Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

This morning I woke up and felt like I was missing an arm. When I looked over, I could see why that was. Daisy was there beside me, dozing in bed with me with her full weight on said appendage. I smiled and slid my arm out from under her and then stared. She was the reason this morning was already off to a good start. As the blood started rushing back down to my fingertips, I tamed her mess of dark hair. She sleeps so wildly, it always ends up all over the place in the mornings. Strewn across the pillow. Stuck to her cheeks and forehead. In my mouth? I made a face and pulled a long strand off my tongue. Yup. Definitely her hair. I couldn't help but smile though because I knew how bright red she'd get if she knew about this. That smile stayed with me even after I finished fixing her hair neatly to the side of her head.

It was then that the girl under me shifted and blinked. Her eyes instantly sought out mine and she gave me this huge grin.

"Good morning," She whispered.

I did something impulsive and kissed her forehead. It was getting easier to do things like that. Especially after what's just happened. I didn't know how long Daisy would be in my life so the last thing I wanted to do was take her for granted. I couldn't imagine what I'd do, how I'd go on if something were to happen to her. If it was her instead of Peach who was stuck at that palace. Daisy must have been thinking something along those lines because her smile faded away. She rose on her elbows and slid out the bed.

"We should go find your brother," She suggested, "See what we can do to help her."

She didn't even have to say who. I replied, "Yeah. Definitely."

While Daisy rummaged through her luggage for what I assumed was her general toiletries, I sat on the edge of the bed. She found what she was looking for and headed to the bathroom. After she shut the door behind her, I dropped my head into my hands.

I really hoped I was as good at hiding my emotions as always because otherwise Daisy may get her feelings hurt. I wasn't in love with Peach, but I did still have strong feelings for her. I cared about her still. I loved Daisy, that much was certain. She was the one I wanted to marry someday. Geez, marry? Now that I think about it, yeah. I do want to marry her someday. But that didn't mean I had stopped caring for Peach. As soon as I'd pieced together what had happened, I was worrying about her. Was she doing okay? What was Bowser going to do to her? What had he already done?

It was making me sick.

To distract myself I went over to my own bag at the foot of the bed and started to pull out my toothbrush and paste. That was when Daisy came out of the bathroom. She didn't take long in getting ready for the day. She sat on the bed without a word and started to brush through her hair. I got up and went to the bathroom. While I cleaned my teeth and washed my face, I peeked over at her. She was making something so monotonous seem intriguing. Maybe it was that faraway look on her face as she worked the brush through her frizzy hair. Or maybe she was just an interesting girl. I really payed extra attention to her. I wanted to store these memories just in case something happened to either of us.

"You ready?" I asked her when I came out of the bathroom.

She nodded and got up from the bed. Both of us left the room in search of Mario. I was in the lead so I figured I'd check the war room first. That was his main haunt as of late. I wasn't even sure he'd come out of there last night. When we got to the room, I knocked and waited for him to open up.

"It's not locked," I heard him call.

I shrugged and let myself in, in that case. Daisy and I entered the room and looked around. My brother was sitting at the head of the long wooden table with a pair of old reading glasses perched high on his nose. In one hand he had a slim, clear glass filled halfway with a clear liquid. I would've thought it was water until I saw the bottle of scotch at his feet.

I've never seen my brother drink before.

In his other hand, Mario held a quill pen and was writing furiously on what looked like his eight or ninth sheet of paper. The other papers had a short block of writing on them and were all in one stack. There were also stacks of seals and envelopes on the table. There was a chair pulled out beside him and on it was a plate. The plate had a half-eaten sandwich on it: Pastrami on rye. His favorite. That made me smile. It was good to see something had remained the same.

"Have a seat, you two." Mario told us without looking up.

Daisy and I did so. I sat on one side and she sat across from me. Mario reached beside him where another plate sat in a chair. This one had two untouched sandwiches of the same variety on it. He slid it down to us. Breakfast. Did he know we were coming?

"You read it." He spoke as we were eating.

I swallowed a bite of my sandwich and said, "Yeah. Pretty twisted."

"You bet." Mario replied grimly. "I'm guessing you two want to help out?"

"Yeah." I answered.

Daisy tore her sandwich in half, and then in half again before eating it. Mario scribbled away on a new sheet of parchment and placed his newly finished one atop the stack with the rest.

"I'm writing to my strategists, tacticians, and allies." Mario informed us, "Trying to get them here as fast as I can. Was there something either of you had in mind?"

I didn't, but Daisy did. She put her sandwich down and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I was thinking maybe Luigi and I could go and see his friend. That prince seems to know a lot about the Dark King." She reasoned.

That was actually a great idea. Peasley did seem to be in the know when it came to Bowser. I didn't know how that was but it would definitely come in handy. Maybe if we would have heeded his warnings and left earlier, we might not have ended up in this mess. But what's done is done.

"Okay." Mario nodded, "Sounds good. You can go to his palace, stay a night and get information, and come back and report to me what you've found out. You need me to set you up with some supplies?"

"That'd be good," I responded.

Only then did Mario stop in his work, put his glass and spectacles on the table, and stand. He stretched his back until it popped, rolled his neck until it cracked, and flexed his fingers.

"Are you two planning on leaving now?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I could. What about you?" I asked Daisy.

She said, "I'd like to get a few things from home first. And let my cousins know I'm leaving."

"That won't be a problem." Mario assured her. "Alright. Well you do that, and meet me back here to get your supplies. I'll have some of the guards escort you to Bean Kingdom."

* * *

"Are you ready for this?" Daisy asked me.

She and I were walking through the marketplace, heading towards her house. Already the citizens were abuzz with the news of Peach's capture. Amazing how fast that got around. Anyway, after Daisy and I grabbed something else to eat on our way out of the castle we started for her home. She seemed to be taking this all in stride now that she'd been given a task to do to help out. Her and Mario were handling this crisis well. I was, well I was managing. It was still stressing me out. And in reference to her question, well. I guess I was ready for this. Another adventure, that's what this was. Instead of Mario I had Daisy to work with. That only stressed me out more. I didn't want anything to happen to her. It was one thing for me and my brother to go headlong into perilous situations, but Daisy was precious to me. If I had my way, I'd ask her to stay here where she'd be safe. I knew she wouldn't agree to that though. And in a sense, I'd be doing the same thing Mario did to me during the Great War.

"Luigi?" Daisy asked.

_Ah right; she asked me a question _

"Yeah I'm ready." I told her.

I had to be. This was happening, it was already in motion. I shifted Daisy's luggage to my other hand and trailed beside her silently. Neither one of us was really up for conversation. We'd exchange a word now and then, but we were otherwise quiet. When we did arrive at her place, she stepped beside me and unlocked the door. It was incredibly early so I assumed her cousins were still asleep.

"I won't be long." Daisy murmured.

She led me into the house and while she strode down the hall, I took a seat at the kitchen table. The house was only noiseless for so long. I soon heard the sounds of Daisy moving about in the bathroom and other places. Then I heard voices. She must have been speaking with her cousins. True to her word, though, she didn't linger in the back of her house for long.

Daisy came back and was dressed differently. She had on a pair of red corduroy pants, a short-sleeved white shirt, and those heavy duty black boots she'd worn the day she invited me to join her on a delivery trip. I still remembered how she looked that day. She was as beautiful now as she was then. The only difference was that bruise on her arm. I frowned at the thought of Bowser or one of his cohorts doing that to her. Other than that, her look was the same; casual and fresh. It made me think of better days when we spent almost every day doing something together. Man, things had changed so fast.

"I got a change of clothes and some money," She told me, "just in case."

I nodded and stood from the table. "Ready to meet Mario, then?"

She told me she was and so we set out for the palace again.

* * *

Everything was moving so fast. As soon as Daisy and I got back to the palace, Mario was there at the front steps with a satchel full of supplies, just as he'd promised. He was quick to wish us luck and strap us on a horse. With two of his royal guards he sent us off. I could tell it just killed him to send that many guards; he preferred to have all his men on hand now that things were out of hand but it just wasn't safe to travel without some professional protection. Daisy and I had been traveling for about two hours before we reached our destination and I still couldn't believe we were really doing this. Going on another adventure to rescue the princess, I mean. It felt so surreal to be doing this with her.

"We must be getting back now," One of the horseback guards told me, "The prince's orders."

I nodded and said, "Thanks for escorting us."

Both of the men started riding back the way we'd come, leaving Daisy and I just outside the modest palace of Bean-Bean Kingdom. The flat grasslands and flowery meadows were nice to see. It helped me dissociate from our current dismal situation, if only for a short minute. I climbed down from the borrowed black horse and helped Daisy down as well. While she took up her back and led the horse by the reins, I started looking through the satchel. We'd left in such haste, I hadn't even glanced at what was inside. I found fruit, a first-aid kit, a heavy pouch of gold coins, some folded maps, a wool blanket, matches, and a dagger.

Not bad.

"It's only noon," Daisy remarked, "We made good time."

"Yeah," I agreed.

With her and the horse following me, I led the way towards Peasley's palace. His castle had a moat around it so in order to enter, the drawbridge had to be lowered. There were guards there at the door. Cloaked in black and standing with their spears crossed to form an 'X' over the closed bridge. They didn't look friendly and if my memory served me well, these shady figures weren't here the last time I visited Peasley. Nonetheless, I addressed them.

"Excuse me," I said, "We need to enter."

They exchanged a look but otherwise didn't budge.

"We're friends of Peasley's." I explained. "He's expecting us."

Still they didn't move. I sighed. This is why people let others know ahead of time when they plan on dropping by someone's palace. It wasn't as if there were VIP passes or something we could flash at the guards to get them to let us in.

"Luigi?" I heard someone called.

Daisy and I turned round and saw someone making their way out of the forest that was way behind us. It was Peasley. He was dressed to impress, as usual, in well-tailored silver pants and a matching waistcoat. His boots were white like the shirt he wore underneath his jacket and like the flower he held in one of his hands. Speaking of his hands, I saw that his nails were painted silver today.

_Oh Peasley..._

The prince ran his fingers through his hair and sauntered languidly over to the two of us. He gave me a bright, mischievous smile and handed the flower to Daisy. It occurred to me that the flora bore the same name as her. She smiled lightly and thanked him. Peasley nodded and then threw his arm around my neck.

"Luigi, my dear friend, so good to see you again!" He exclaimed.

Although he was smiling and genuinely happy to see me, I could tell something was bothering him. His dark eyes gave it away. He kept his arm around my neck like those couples in the old movie _Grease_ and approached the moat. With only a wave from his hand the guards parted and lowered the bridge for us. Peasley led the way around the porch of his palace.

"You can leave your horse here," He told Daisy, "The servants will take him to the stables."

She did as he said and tied the horse's reins to a pole. She fell into step with Peasley and I and I wondered if this made her feel excluded. I meant Peasley's closeness. He was being extra touchy-feely today. With one hand in his pocket and the other arm still around my neck, Peasley started to whisper to me.

"I believe I know why you're here," He began, "But I cannot speak on the matter right now. I'll meet you later tonight."

After he said that and I nodded, he released my neck and stood in between Daisy and I. The drawbridge went up, the front doors shut, and my friend grew somber. I could immediately understand why. There was a figure at the top of the staircase to the left of us. His fiancee. She was in a short pink dress, matching high heels, and garish neon pink lipstick to match. Her eyes settled on Daisy and I and she began descending the staircase elegantly.

"Peasley, you didn't tell me you were expecting company." She said with a pout.

The prince put both his hands in his pockets and let his eyes take on that glazed look that was a cross between aggravation and boredom. His back was to her but that didn't stop her from coming over and looping her arm through one of his. She clung to him lovingly and smiled at us.

"If I would've known we were having guests," She said, "I would have gussied myself up for you."

The look on my friend's face was almost comical. I would have laughed if I didn't know how miserable he obviously was in this young woman's presence. Kate Clact was apparently oblivious to his dampened mood. She grinned and pecked the prince on his cheek. He wiped the stain off nonchalantly with the back of his hand.

"How long are you two staying?" She asked.

I told her, "Just for tonight."

"Oh pity." Kate remarked. "Peasley, my sweet, let's get them set up in their rooms then."

My friend let his fiancee drag him up the stairs with Daisy and I following. After Daisy and I put our stuff down in a guest room, we took lunch with the royal couple. That was a pitiful affair in itself. I was glad when it was over. The food was good enough but it was so obvious how unhappy Peasley was around Kate Clact. His apathetic mood kept me from really enjoying the event. That was fine. I wasn't here on vacation, after all.

After that, Peasley and his fiancee gave us a semblance of a tour around the castle, despite my friend's protests that Daisy and I had both already been here and didn't need a tour. That trip around the palace definitely proved that Peasley's action could be justified. There were those same creepy guards everywhere. Standing silently with spears around every twist and turn, posted at each corner and doorway. It was unsettling. The more the day wore on, the more I began to feel bad for Peasley. No wonder he was outside near the forest when we got here. I could tell being in this palace could get real stifling, between the numerous guards and his overbearing beau.

Around evening we all took dinner. Even though it was Peasley's favorite meal-steaming hot carrot slices and buttery peas over rice-he only picked at his food. He was quiet. I was quiet. Daisy was trying to make small talk with Kate but I could tell politeness was her only impetus for attempting this brave task. All Kate talked of was Peasley this and Peasley that. What he's been up to and how charming he looked in his outfit today and so on and so forth.

I was getting a taste of why my friend couldn't stand being around her.

However, as Peasley walked past Daisy and I without a word, I started to frown. After Daisy shut the door behind her, she too mad a face of disappointment.

"Do you think he'll be able to tell us anything?" She asked me.

I shrugged, "There are all these guards here. And he did say his fiancee was on Bowser's side. They're probably watching him extra hard because we're here. I mean, we are Peach's friends."

"Yes that's true." Daisy acceded, "So I guess this was a blank trip."

"Yeah. But it can't be helped." I nodded.

Peasley obviously had his reasons for not showing. I wouldn't hold it against him. I knew his heart; if he had information, he wouldn't hesitate to tell me unless he really wasn't able to. Oh well. We'll just tell Mario that this place is just too heavily guarded for us to receive information. I'm sure he'll be displeased but he'll most likely understand.

Daisy took off her boots and climbed into the bed. I did, too, after kicking off my black trainers. She and I had to sleep in our clothes tonight but that wasn't a problem. As soon as I shut off the lamp that was beside the bed and bathed the room in darkness, she and I both fell into a comfortable sort of silence. But that didn't last.

Very tentatively she asked, "Luigi?"

I rolled around so that I was facing her. She was closer to the wall with me on the edge. Now that I could see her face, I saw how much concern was painted all over it.

"What is it?" I replied.

She said, "What are we gonna' do? If we don't get some kind of lead on what's going on, the princess..."

I reached over and stroked Daisy's cheek. It was the only thing I could think of that would comfort her. She leaned into my hand and let some of that tension melt from her brow.

"Don't worry about it." I said, "You, me, and Mario. We'll find a way to get her back safely."

Daisy yawned and closed her eyes. "Think so?"

I nodded, "Yeah, totally."

I really had no idea. I was just as anxious as she was, but both of us didn't need to stay awake tonight.

* * *

Around midnight or so I almost had my first heart attack. The cause? A golden-haired prince shaking me awake by the shoulders. I shuddered and jerked upright, almost butting heads with the Bean Kingdom prince. Peasley must have anticipated my reaction because he ducked his head backwards just in time. I looked around and saw that it was still dark out. Daisy was still asleep beside me and we were still in the guest room. I quickly realized two things at that moment. One; Peasley had obviously come through for me. I shouldn't have given up on him so soon. And two; the prince was _straddling_ me.

Really he was.

His knees dug into the bed on either side of my middle. He had his hands on my shoulders still and was looking to make sure I was awake. Granted, there was no bodily contact besides his hands but the pose was still intimate. I was so glad Daisy was knocked out right now. I cleared my throat. Peasley cocked a brow.

"Could you um..." I trailed uneasily.

Peasley said, "What is it?"

"You're kind of. Can you just." I gestured with my hands for him to move to the side.

He obliged me, but not before he quipped, "But Luigi, I was getting so comfortable up there."

"Peasley, you're crossing a line." I said half-heartedly.

He grinned and said, "Forgive me. But you are so easy to jest with."

My friend settled down between me and Daisy, much to my displeasure. He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and glanced from me to her.

"Making your move, eh?" He teased.

I sighed and said, "It's not like that."

Peasley said, "It certainly _looks _like it's 'like that'."

"Can we talk about something more important than my love life?" I asked exasperatedly.

He smirked and replied, "Only if you insist."

"I do." I told him.

Peasley shrugged and lay on his back. He nestled into the pillows and made himself a niche between Daisy and I with his legs propped up and his arms clasped over his stomach. He looked severely less fashionable in his simple white shirt and loose black pants. I laid down on my back, too, but only because there was no room for me to sit up. This bed wasn't exactly made for three people.

"I won't lie," Peasley began, "it was nearly impossible for me to get to you tonight. The hag is suspicious of your being here. She thinks you two are conspiring with me against the Dark Lord."

"Which we are," I remarked.

Peasley nodded. "Those guards were sent here only weeks ago courtesy of His Majesty. They're keeping tabs on me and the people here."

"How can he do that?" I wondered. "This isn't his kingdom."

"No," The prince agreed, "But the hag went over my head and got the legislature passed that allows for this to be so."

I frowned, "Can she do that? I mean don't you have to confer with the Court before passing laws?"

Peasley nodded and said, "Yes, but she's packed the court with a bunch of ninnies like herself."

"So she really is cavorting with Bowser." I murmured. "How come?"

Peasley shrugged. "I'm not sure. But she'll have this kingdom in his hands quite soon if I don't come up with a way to thwart her."

"Man. That's rough." I commented.

Peasley had his hands full. So that was the reason why he couldn't stand her. She was up to no good. But why would she want to sell out her own kingdom? And to Bowser, of all people?

"I'm assuming you came to me regarding the incident involving Princess Peach?" Peasley surmised.

I nodded. "Yeah. You heard?"

"Indeed. And I'm sorry that has happened." The prince spoke softly, "So you and your brother are trying to get her back?"

"You know it." I confirmed. "But how do we do that?"

Peasley tilted his head. "You'll have to take down the king first."

"That's what I was afraid of." I admitted.

I knew that even if Mario did find a way to get in there and rescue Peach, that wouldn't be the end of the matter. The only way to ensure this never happened again would be to defeat Bowser once and for all. But that was easier said than done. Bowser had a flawless army behind him and powerful allies.

"You'll have to get inside his territory." Peasley advised.

"The Badlands?" I asked.

The prince shook his head, "No. Closer: right there in his castle."

I scoffed, "Peasley, that's insane. Not to mention impossible."

"Not hardly, my friend." Peasley insisted, "You just need to have a good plan."

"And where do I get one of those?" I asked wryly.

He replied, "I may happen to know someone who can help."

"Don't you always?" I added with a smile. "Who is it?"

Peasley shifted and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment and handed it to me.

"Read for yourself. I've written everything you need to know about where you're going and what to do and with whom." Peasley told me proudly.

I opened the paper and saw that one side had a detailed map drawn on it and the other was full of writing. I took a moment to read over it all. I soon realized why Peasley didn't tell me out loud who it was he was referring to. The more I read, the sicker I felt. This was not gonna work. Not at all. I folded the letter back up and turned to my friend.

"No, Peasley. Anybody but him." I stated desperately.

The prince lifted a brow, "I know you don't like him but you must go to him. He's your best hope at defeating the Dark King."

"Do you know who this is?" I asked Peasley incredulously, "This is my arch-enemy we're talking about. He hates me."

"Keep your voice down," Peasley chided. "And I know that may be so, but if anyone can sneak you into the king's palace it's him. It is his specialty, you know."

"How could I forget?" I rolled my eyes. "But isn't he one of Bowser's allies?"

"Not anymore," Peasley told me.

_Damn. I was counting on that excuse to get me out of going. _

I sighed. "Are you sure there isn't anyone else? That he's the only one?"

"The only one I could find." Peasley responded.

Then it was settled. I had to put aside my own prejudice and do this. I had to at least try. For Peach. If there was a chance that this creepy foe of mine could turn out and help me, I had to give it a shot.

"Okay I'll do it." I capitulated.

"You should leave first thing in the morning," Peasley told me. "I could give you another horse."

I shook my head, "No, one is good."

He nodded and said, "Very well."

The prince sat up, then. He was careful not to wake Daisy, who was still out cold. The girl was a heavy sleeper, I'd learned. Peasley gazed fondly at her and then slipped out of the bed. He stood over me and smiled gently. Then, as was his custom, he reached his hand down and touched the side of my face.

"It really was good seeing you again," He told me, "I wish it weren't under these circumstances, though."

"I understand," I told him.

His eyes hardened and his tone grew fervent when he said, "Whatever you do, be careful Luigi. You're the best friend I've ever had and if I were to lose you, too I don't think I could."

He stopped then and thinned his lips out into a line. His voice had gotten soft and raw. He was worried about me. I knew it had to do with his parents. Their deaths affected him more than he let on. I imagined he got real lonely here. Again I felt bad for my friend.

"I'll be fine." I promised him.

He smiled but his smile was way too sad. "I better get back to my room before the hag starts looking for me. Although if she gets too inquisitive, I could always tell her the truth; that I was here, in bed with you."

I shook my head and said, "Good luck with her."

"I'd wish you the same but I can see you don't need it," He said, gazing at Daisy. "She really is exquisite."

_You have no idea_, I thought with a private smile.

* * *

**A/N: Another shorter chapter. Things are moving along. Any guesses as to who Peasley is sending Luigi to for help? I'd like to hear them! Tell me what you think so far and don't hesitate to leave constructive criticism regarding grammar, character portrayal, and anything else you feel inclined to comment on. I'll see you guys next chapter! **

**~DymondGold~**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for all of your feedback! A lot of you predicted that the mystery person is Waluigi...**

**That's actually a good guess but not quite. Nevertheless, said person will be revealed in the next chapter. E****njoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

The morning was slow and quiet, or so Daisy believed as she packed up her toiletries. She'd gotten up later than Luigi, who was already dressed and ready to go. So while she prepared herself in the bathroom, she told him not to wait for her, to go ahead and get the horse ready and that she'd catch up with him in a minute. As soon as she finished brushing her hair, she'd meet him outside and they'd go back home to give Mario their report.

_And what an empty report that'll be, _she thought dismally.

Daisy left the room with her bag in hand and sighed. The fruitless mission left her so disappointed. Before she could even get to the staircase, though, the supposedly 'slow and quiet' morning took a turn for the worst. Someone grabbed her from behind. With one hand over her mouth and an arm firmly pinning her own two ones by her sides, her captor ducked into a closet just a few feet down the hall from where she was assaulted. The assailant didn't stop there. After shutting the door as best they could while keeping hold of her, Daisy struggled. The hand over her mouth loosened a bit. She looked down and saw that there was a ring on one of those tan fingers. She frowned and shifted her head to get a better view of it. It seemed familiar. As she did so, she caught sight of the person's thumb. The nail was painted silver.

"...Peasley?" She said aloud.

The prince shushed her but let her go. He stepped from behind her and guided her back against the door he'd just shut. In front of her were shelves full of folded linen. That was all. She was confused.

"What are you"

Peasley shook his head wordlessly. His dark eyes were urgently imploring her not to speak so she didn't. Daisy watched as the slim royal bent down and started pulling up the woven rug that covered the floor of the tiny closet. The ground underneath was not smooth bare stone like she thought it would be. Instead, there was a wooden hatch revealed. Peasley hooked his fingers in the gap space between two planks and lifted the hatch upwards. Before descending down into dark nothingness that lay below, he mouthed two words to her.

_Follow Me _

Daisy lifted both brows and stood there. She had no clue what was going on.

_Follow Me _

That hatch could lead to anywhere. And she had never known Peasley to act this way before.

_Follow Me _

After what had happened at Bowser's palace, she hesitated. She was fooled once by an impostor under Luigi's visage. This could be a similar trap.

_Follow Me_

She made up her mind.

_Follow Me _

"On my way," Daisy whispered to herself as she bravely put one approached the hatch.

She tentatively probed the area with her foot until the bottom of her boot scraped against something hard and gritty. Daisy pushed her foot against whatever it was; a step. She then took a calming breath and brought her other foot down as well. She didn't want to, but she grabbed the planked hatch and pulled it down over her head on her way down. As soon as the hatch was shut again, she was subjected to pure, pitch black darkness. She shivered.

In a still voice she called, "Peasley?"

"Down here." He immediately responded.

Daisy released a small sigh of relief. She descended until there were no more stairs left but still could not see. She held her hands outstretched and took one step forward. Her right hand met thin air but her left fingertips brushed against a sooty stone surface.

"Where are you?" The girl murmured.

Two warm hands covered her own and brought them back down to her sides gently. Daisy blinked as she made out the prince's faint silhouette. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a short rod about the size of his index finger. Daisy heard a click as he pushed down on one end with his thumb and suddenly a thin beam of white light shot out towards their feet. Peasley pointed the light source upwards so that she had a good clear view of him.

"What is that?" She wanted to know.

Peasley explained, "It's a keychain flashlight. Luigi gave it to me years ago."

"Oh." She replied. "So why are we down here?"

He walked over to one of the walls in the subterranean area and took a seat on the bench that hung from the wall. Daisy wondered why this area was built. What purpose could a dirty grimy underground level serve? Nevertheless, she came over and sat beside the royal. He looked disturbed. Peasley rooted around in his pocket again and pulled out a handful of...something.

"I found these in that guest bedroom last night." He told her.

She inspected the things in his hand. Daisy had never seen something so odd. The creatures crawling along his palm were tiny and blue and looked like beetles. Only their heads were shaped like mini-megaphones. She looked to Peasley inquisitively.

"What are they?" She then asked.

He informed her by saying, "Chatter-Bugs. They cling to walls and other surfaces to record people's speech. Their recall ranges from a few sentences to entire conversations."

Daisy paled at the implications behind this information, "And you said those were in the guest bedroom?"

"Among other places, yes." Peasley affirmed. "I believe they're everywhere though. I've been finding them throughout the palace."

"Why are they here?" The young woman frowned, "Who's listening?"

Grimly Peasley replied, "The hag no doubt. Who else? She probably reports back to the Dark King. I just pray she hasn't overheard any of what was said last night."

"Last night?" Daisy repeated.

He smiled softly and said, "That's right, you were asleep. Luigi and I had quite the conversation in bed last night."

The girl flushed and said, "W-What?"

That lightened the prince's mood incrementally. "He insisted that I not wake you up. We only talked of a possible ally that could be of tremendous help rescuing the princess. Er, the other princess."

Daisy nodded, "Oh. Okay. Is that what you wanted to speak to me about now?"

"Not exactly." Peasley responded cryptically.

Very insistently a wave of anxiety began creeping up on her. She didn't like the way his tone had dropped and his words came out slowly, carefully. She braced herself for whatever he was about to say next.

"There's something I must tell you. Regarding your kingdom." He began.

She tensed. "What is it?"

"Tatanga is dead." He stated bluntly.

The girl blanched and whispered, "What?"

Peasley said again, "Tatanga. He's dead."

"That's impossible." She immediately declared.

He told her, "I wouldn't say it if it weren't true."

"And how do you know this is true?" She inquired.

Peasley admitted, "I have reliable connections in Sarasaland. From the time of your land's invasion I've been keeping tabs on the tyrant. Just in case he decided to set his sights on Bean-Bean Kingdom."

"You've been keeping tabs," She said, "but it never occurred to you to help out?"

The prince said quietly, "I was seventeen, Daisy. The choice to aid your home lay with my parents. They, like many others, didn't take the tiny purple alien seriously until it was too late."

Daisy felt thoroughly ashamed for blaming him. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Peasley said easily. He then continued with, "But I speak the truth; Tatanga is dead and his forces have been driven out of Sarasaland."

With a frown Daisy said, "I just don't see how that's possible. He had so many people brainwashed. And he ruled with an iron fist. How could he have been overthrown?"

"From what I've heard," Peasley said, "It was a faction of retired generals behind the rebellion. But that's not the important thing."

Daisy said, "Oh? Then what is?"

"Tatanga's reign of terror is over. That's all well and good, but now the kingdom is without a ruler. Without anyone to lead them, the place is in a state of dissension." He explained.

"Oh. I see." She muttered.

Peasley tilted his head and whispered, "Do you really? If you don't return to take the throne then someone will do so in your place. Believe me, there's always someone willing to step up and take charge in times of anarchy or social crisis."

He said, "You take a risk by leaving that responsibility open to anyone, though. Perhaps the generals who overthrew Tatanga will govern the people. Or perhaps a new ruler as bad as or worse than Tatanga will gain control."

"So what should I do?" Daisy responded shakily. "I can't go back there. Sarasaland hasn't been my home in eight years. When my father took my cousins and me to the Mushroom Kingdom, I cut all ties to that place."

"Then maybe it's time you mend those ties." Peasley remarked solemnly.

Daisy gripped the bench on either side of her thighs and worried the corner of her lip. This was unsettling news. She didn't want to go back to her home. If she could still call it that. She remembered being there of course but things were different now. She had a life apart from being a princess and she wasn't sure she wanted to leave it behind.

Peasley stood and offered her his hand. "I didn't mean to overwhelm you. I just thought you should know what was going on."

"Thank you. I appreciate it." She told him honestly, "It's just a lot to think about."

He nodded and said, "I can imagine. Being in charge of a kingdom isn't easy. There's so many people depending on you. So many lives that are affected by tough choices you have to make. It's a lot of responsibility. Trust me. I know."

And Daisy believed him. "So what do you think I should do?"

"That is for you to decide." He said resolutely. "But for now, you should go with Luigi. I gave him a map and thorough instructions on how to gain favor and assistance from one of the Dark King's former allies in the east."

She nodded. "Okay."

As the prince guided her back up the stairs they came from, she mulled over all he'd told her. Her kingdom needed her. But did they really? She hadn't been there for them in all these years, what could she do now? Surely someone good will take over now that Tatanga's gone, right? She prayed that was the case because she hardly saw it in her near future to return there.

* * *

Although she had never drank to the point of utter inebriation before, Princess Peach felt as if she were experiencing what Mario called a 'hangover'. She felt sick to her stomach and her head was throbbing all over, even though it was currently nestled in one of the softest pillows to ever.

_Wait a minute, _She thought blearily. _Where am I? _ Her memory came rushing back so fast it left her mentally winded. Peach recalled her shock upon discovering she'd been kidnapped yet again. And on top of that, she was being blackmailed into staying here with the loathsome King Koopa. She made a face.

_In order to protect my kingdom, I must remain by his side. That evil, black-hearted fiend. He must have planned this so that I would have no choice in the matter. I wonder, why does he always target **me**? Not that I'd wish this fate upon anyone else. _

Peach turned over onto her side and gazed straight ahead, at the open door to the bathroom. She blinked and pulled the covers up to her chin. _I complained so much about being taken for granted that I didn't realize I'd done the same thing; If I would've known this would happen, I wouldn't have fought so much with Mario. I would've tried to make peace with him and. Oh, it doesn't matter anymore, _she lamented, _because I'm stuck here now. _

The princess sat up slowly and rubbed her fingers over her temples. She realized why she felt so ill. Perhaps it was the effects of the sedative from yesterday night, but she had a different hunch: she hadn't eaten in two days. What she thought was nausea now was confirmed as a massive bout of hunger pangs. Upon looking around the room, still holding her head, Peach spied something small and white there on the nightstand.

_It's a note, _she concluded. Peach reached down and picked it up. After skimming over it, she found it to be from the Dark King himself. She then inspected it more closely.

_Good morning Princess.__ I trust you slept well? Your clothes are in the closet to the left and in the middle dresser, the one with the vanity. Use whatever you like to prepare yourself; what's mine is yours, Princess. Breakfast is at eight. Come down whenever you're ready. I await your presence.  
~Your Lord and King, Bowser Koopa _

Peach blinked after reading the note. He certainly was formal and polite. Perhaps she had a chance at making the best of the situation then? If he behaved civilly for once, maybe she might be able to keep her head up.

_At least until Mario comes. _

That's right: if Mario saved her, Bowser couldn't attack her kingdom. She technically wouldn't be leaving him and breaking their agreement so she would be free. All she had to do was bide her time. That gave the princess a bit of hope. She felt silly then for starting the morning with so much despair. Of course Mario would save her. He always did. Peach smiled sadly. How could she forget that Mario was always there for her when she needed him most? Maybe if she would have remembered all the times he'd rescued her, she would've been less inclined to argue with him day in and day out.

_Oh well. What's done is done, _she sighed.

Peach got up from the bed on wobbly legs and walked over to where that door was across the room. She figured it to be the closet Bowser was talking about. She was not wrong. On the left side she looked just as the king had instructed in his note. She was surprised at the selection of clothing she found hanging there. Not only did its quantity surprise her, but also the fact that everything looked to be just her size. The gowns, dresses, pants, shirts, jackets, cloaks. The shorts, though, looked to be about a size too small. Peach wondered how Bowser could have predicted her measurements and how he could have so many garments already waiting for her.

_How long has he been planning this kidnapping? _

She decided not to ponder that for too long. It was starting to scare her, the level of his infatuation towards her. Instead Peach picked out a dress and a pair of shoes to match. The princess went to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. The first thing she did was sit the shoes on the floor and the dress on the back of the commode. The presence of such modern plumbing was not something she expected.

_As much as he bad-mouthed Mario, _she thought, _the king obviously has nothing against his profession. _

Peach took a hand towel from the rack above the toilet and put it under a stream of warm water from the sink. She wrung it out a few seconds later and scrubbed at her face. Just doing that helped her feel refreshed, if only minutely. She wished she'd thought ahead to have a toothbrush and paste.

_But how was I to know I'd be on this little 'extended stay', _she thought wryly.

Out of the white nightgown Peach climbed and pulled the clean dress over her head. It was bright red, snugly fitting, and only mid-thigh in length. No matter how much she tugged, it would not reach anywhere close to her knees. Peach thought about picking another one from the closet but her stomach growled impatiently.

_Oh well. I'll just change after breakfast, _she decided.

She moved onto the task of doing her hair. This was something she hadn't done on her own before. That was what her ladies-in-waiting were for. They helped mold her long blond tresses into beautiful styles and classy hair-dos. The best she could do was try to put it in a bun.

_How hard can it be really? _

Peach stood in front of the mirror and gripped a chunk of her hair in each hand. She sloppily pulled one clump over the other and under and over again. Once she'd braided all of her thick locks, she tried to twist it up and around at the back of her head. She looked around the sink for some pins or other hair ornaments.

_The vanity; _she thought. She left the bathroom barefoot and sat down at the middle dresser. In this mirror she could see just how mediocre her efforts were. The braid was already falling loose and her bangs were drooping in front of her eyes. She blew out a sigh and took her hair down. Her pink hairbrush was there still, lying atop the varnished wood surface. She'd seen it yesterday and was still puzzled about how it had gotten there. Nevertheless, she picked up the tool and began working through her head.

_I guess I'll leave my hair down today, _She proposed as she put on her crown. That, too, was mysteriously in Bowser's bedroom. Peach studied her reflection in the mirror and frowned. _Not my best look, _she thought sadly. Her hair looked limp and a bit frizzy from being brushed so much and her face was pale and naked without any make-up. She just wasn't used to doing these things on her own.

Peach stood and opened the middle drawer. She was looking for some hose to put on under her dress. She didn't like the fact that so much of her legs were on display. She perused through the drawer for only a moment before she blushed bright red and slammed the drawer shut. She had never been so shocked.

_Those skimpy things, _she thought embarrassingly, _that's what passes for undergarments in this kingdom? _

She shuddered and made her way back to the bathroom. She was getting hungrier and the contents of that drawer had appalled her; in short, she was ready to head downstairs. Peach slipped on the red shoes that matched her dress and rubbed at her arms. The closer she got to the door, the more nervous she got.

_I have to do it now, _she thought nervously, _I have to go and face **him **again._

But the princess remembered that she must bide her time and make the best of her situation. _Until Mario comes, _she reminded herself. With that in mind, she vowed to treat this experience like all the other kidnappings: with dignity and perseverance. She walked from the royal wing past the throne room and straight to the left where the dining hall was. As soon as she got past the double oak doors, she lost her nerve.

There he was, the Lord of the Badlands, sitting at the head of the long table chowing down on a bright red slab of steak. Peach swallowed anxiously and willed herself to move. _Just don't look at him, _she coaxed herself. So with her head down, Peach strode over to the opposite end of the table and took her seat. She ignored her hammering heart and placed both her hands in her lap.

Very soon a servant brought her breakfast in the form of a steaming bowl of porridge and a tall glass of milk. The porridge smelled divine, like cinnamon and apples. She had to stop herself from digging in, though. She didn't exactly trust the Dark King. He had sedated her, after all. This food could be poisoned.

_And if it is, I can't bring myself to care, _she then acceded, _I've never been so famished. _

Peach kept her lady-like manners about her though. She took small spoonfuls of sweet oatmeal into her mouth at a time. Only after she'd eaten about three-fourths of her meal and was taking a sip of her milk did she make the mistake of looking up at the king. Her drink stuck in her throat once she locked onto those jade eyes. Bowser was also taking a sip of his drink but she didn't think it was milk. He stared so intensely at her over the rim of his gold goblet that she flushed and looked back down at her almost-empty bowl.

"Peach." He spoke in a low voice.

_Why does he always say my name that way, _she thought dismally. It wasn't right for him to be able to roll that single syllable over his tongue like that and give her chills from this far away. She instinctively looked up at him again and saw that he was gazing at her while reclining in his seat.

"...Yes?" She barely said aloud.

"A sight so fine should never be viewed from afar." He murmured. "From now on, you'll sit at my left."

Peach was silent. She didn't think that was a good idea. No, she'd much rather keep as much distance between the two of them as she could. The princess bowed her head and continued to eat, but with considerably less enthusiasm. She could feel his eyes on her as she ate and it unnerved her.

Another servant came out and laid a bowl of porridge and a glass of milk down at Bowser's right. The bowl and glass were much smaller than the size Peach had. She frowned at that. Until, that is, someone came shuffling into the dining hall from the direction of the throne room.

It was Junior.

He looked especially small today. The boy wore dark, navy silk pants and a matching vest with a white short-sleeved shirt underneath. He had no shoes on. Atop his head interwoven within his top-knot was his flame crown. Peach wondered if he always looked this little or it this was the first time she was truly noticing him. Either way, Junior did not notice her. He crossed the room and climbed into his chair, settling on top of the heavy tomes as per usual. While he picked up his spoon, he spoke to his father.

"G'morning, Daddy." He greeted warmly.

Bowser only said, "Why are you so late?"

The king was too busy cutting away at his steak to see the way Junior's bright smile faded upon not being acknowledged.

Junior replied, "I could not find my crown until a long time."

The king glanced at the boy and said severely, "Learn to keep up with your things, Junior."

"Okay," The boy responded quietly.

Just before he dug into his oatmeal, he happened to turn his head and see Peach. The princess marveled at how suddenly the child's beaming smile returned. It almost made her smile back in turn, but not quite.

"Oh!" He said in surprise, "G'morning Princess! I didn't say it the first time because I didn't even much see you." he explained.

Peach looked at the child gently and said, "Good morning."

But her heart wasn't in it. Junior couldn't tell. He was just glad that she'd spoken back to him. He planted his spoon in his oatmeal and leaned back in his chair.

"How come you still here and not gone like everybody else?" He asked her.

Peach felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of 'everybody else'. Oh, how she longed to be gone home like them, away from Bowser and his hungry green eyes. _  
_

Junior then asked innocuously, "You didn't want to go home?"

She didn't blame him for being so inquisitive. He was only a child. But those questions were like a stake in her chest. They reminded her of her hopeless situation. She swallowed hard but that lump that had risen refused to budge. How could she break it down to where Junior could understand what a sociopath his father was?

"I did. Want to go home." She told Junior carefully.

"Then why you didn't, then?" he prompted. "Why you still here with me and Daddy?"

That was the last straw. Peach blinked rapidly but she could tell her efforts were futile. The tears still slid right past her lashes and down her cheeks. She bowed her head but that didn't do much to hide the fact that she was hard-down crying. If it weren't for the fact that she was clenching her jaw almost as hard as she clenched the fabric of the short red dress in her lap, she'd be sobbing aloud as well. Peach could feel her frame trembling with the effort to suppress the deluge of emotions.

"How come you crying, Princess?" Junior asked in alarm.

This caught his father's attention. Bowser knew what had the royal woman so upset but it wasn't out of empathy that he put a stop to his son's line of questioning. He was just tired of hearing the boy talk.

"Junior," The king said, "Shut up and eat."

So many times before the crown prince had heard those words directed at him that they didn't even faze him. He did know to heed his father's orders though. Consequently, the boy spoke no more. Instead Junior swung his legs back and forth under the table and cast frequent glances of concern and curiosity in Peach's direction. The princess kept her head down and continued to stare at nothing.

_Get a hold of yourself, _she chided herself, _You're supposed to be treating this like the other kidnapping experiences: crying never helped then and it certainly won't do any good now. Be strong. Mario will come. _

By the time Junior had finished eating and was shooed away to his training lessons by his father, Peach had stopped weeping. Her little pep talk had seemed to do the trick. She didn't feel any less disconsolate, but she had the resolve to face her situation with dry eyes now.

"You know Princess," Bowser drawled, "If it upsets you that much to be with me, you can still leave. You haven't given me your final answer yet so the coach is still waiting."

Peach's sadness seeped away from her as a new emotion took its place; anger. Indignation. Mild humiliation. She didn't appreciate being mocked, and that was what she felt like the Dark King was doing by saying something like that to her. He knew full well that if she left this horrid place, her kingdom was doomed. So why was he dangling that inaccessible option in front of her face? It was only rubbing salt in the wound, honestly. She swallowed the remains of her angst and clung to that anger. It emboldened her.

"Last night," She told him, "You said there was to be no pretense between us. Why do you now perpetuate the idea that I actually have a chance to leave? I must stay here or else you'll hurt my home."

Bowser smirked and said, "True. But that doesn't stop you from leaving. You could go home if you really wanted to. You could build up your armies, strengthen your defenses."

Peach felt her face heat as she said, "_If I really wanted to? _I _do _want to but I cannot. Even if I were to do those things, it wouldn't be enough to keep my people safe."

The king chuckled and said, "Yes. You're right. So I suppose you are here to stay."

_It's hard to make the best of the situation when he keeps reminding me how awful it really is, _Peach thought bitterly.

"In that case," Bowser continued from his end of the table, "Welcome to your new home. I'll let you know now that I've arranged for us to be married in five days. There will be a private ceremony here at the palace."

Peach tensed. "M-Married? But you can't do that! I won't! I'm marrying Mario." she protested.

"You _were _marrying Mario." Bowser corrected, "Now you're marrying me. You'll be mine before the week is out."

The princess shuddered and shook her head, "I won't marry you. That wasn't part of the agreement. All I have to do is remain at your side, that's what you said."

"Those weren't my exact words," Bowser denied.

Peach lifted her chin and replied, "Perhaps you should have been more specific."

"Oh?" Bowser murmured, "Then let me be specific now."

He smirked and rose from the table. Peach stiffened because he was coming towards her. Her body kicked into overdrive as he got closer and closer. He strode across the dining room and stood behind her. Now her heart was beating so hard and so fast it hurt. She couldn't stop holding her breath as she waited to see what he would do. He placed his hands over the sides of her chair and bent his head down so that his cheek was next to hers.

Right next to her ear he spoke, "Marry me or witness your kingdom fall."

She gasped and immediately cried, "That's not fair!"

Bowser chuckled and started to spin her chair around. Peach gripped the seat of it as its legs scraped against the marble floor. She looked fearfully up at the king. All that bravado was quickly depleting now that the Dark King was up close and personal. He got even closer, too. Bowser put his hands on the table so that his arms barred each side of Peach's head. She was beginning to think he liked trapping her like this. She pressed her back to the chair and was too afraid to even blink. Bowser could see as much. He seemed to be relishing in her fear.

"I may be a lot of things, Princess," He said silkily, "But I'm hardly fair. Now make your choice."

Peach's lower lip quivered dangerously before she whispered, "You already know m-my choice."

She couldn't help it. She was near the brink of tears again. She'd never been so mad before. So frustrated. It was making her hot all over and clammy in the palms. Her throat absolutely ached from the pain of withholding her sobs but she would not cry in front of him. _Because that's what he wants to see, I bet, _Peach predicted.

"I want to hear you say it." Bowser rumbled in that low voice.

Peach shook her head and said, "No. I won't play this game with you."

"This isn't a game, Princess." He assured her, "Now say it or I'll send my troops to sack your kingdom in the next five minutes. You know all I have to do is give the word."

As if for emphasis he turned his head a bit and whistled shrilly. He kept his eyes on her though. At his call, four tall Koopas came sauntering in from the same door that Peach now knew lead to those awful underground barrack rooms. The four Koopas bowed before the king and Bowser smirked.

"What will it be, Peach?" He whispered.

She gazed pleadingly into his eyes but those gold-flecked depths were heartless and cruel. He knew what he wanted and she knew he would do evil things to obtain whatever it was. In this case, her hand. She capitulated with a heavy, quivering breath.

"Alright." She told him. "I'll. I will. I'll m-marry you."

Bowser grinned so wide, that fang in the corner of his wretched smile showed through. He tilted his head and cradled her chin in his hand. She was trying to turn her face from him but he wasn't having it.

"You'll marry me, _what_?" He implored.

Peach didn't care that she was crying again. This was humiliating for her. It hurt her pride to have to give in to him but what was she to do? She would not put her people in harm's way. She wouldn't subject them to the mercy of this monster.

"You'll marry me, _what?_" Bowser repeated.

She blinked up at him in silent confusion. What did he want from her? Couldn't he see she was scared and defeated enough? She had given in, what more did he want?

"_Say my name,"_ He ordered.

Peach breathed shallowly. She knew it had more to do with that husky tone of voice than his actual demand. And she berated herself for reacting to it.

With great shame she muttered, "I'll m-marry you, K-King Koo-"

"Not. That name." He cut her off.

She shivered and revised in a whisper, "I'll marry you...Bowser."

For a moment his eyes clouded over and she saw him hitch a breath.

Then he grinned broadly and told her, "Excellent. I knew you'd come around."

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed reading this because I enjoyed writing. Leave your comments and reactions in a review please! I'd like to know what you think about this latest installment in the story. Stay tuned because there's more to come! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	19. Chapter 19

**E****njoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

Something was bothering Daisy. And Peasley, too, by the looks of it. They were both grim in the face for the first few moments of their exit from the palace doors. When they stepped across the moat and saw me standing there with the horse, both of them tried to play it off. Peasley, I'll give credit to. The way his features relaxed into that easy and mischievous expression was flawless. But Daisy didn't do it so well. She was still a bit pale and her smile was too troubled to not convey the brunt of her anxiety. This all worried me. What had gone on this morning that could upset the both of them?

"Hey Luigi." Daisy greeted.

Now I could tell her problem was getting the better of her; she was absent-minded. Didn't she remember speaking to me this morning? When she'd told me to go on and get the horse ready since I'd woken before her? Apparently not. I spoke back to her anyway.

"Hey. You alright?" I asked.

She nodded and told me, "Yes, I'm fine. Ready?"

"Yup." I replied.

The prince gazed fondly at us both. "Be careful you two. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to come back."

"Are you gonna be okay?" I asked him quietly.

Peasley's gaze softened and grew uncertain. He had so much to deal with, I had only realized that during our short stay. His every move was being monitored and he had to put up with an overbearing traitor of a fiancee while trying to keep said woman from selling out his country to an evil sociopath.

"I don't know." He whispered honestly, "But don't worry about me. Just go and get your future sister-in-law back."

I told him we would. It was quite early, about six or seven. I'd taken Peasley's advise and gotten ready as soon as the sun rose so that we could get a head start to meet that dreaded foe of mine in the east. I really was _not _looking forward to that upcoming encounter.

* * *

Daisy and I rode for hours. In silence. With her at my back, I wiled the time away thinking about ways to keep my cool once we reached our destination and I was confronted with that beast of an enemy of mine. I ended up stressing myself out more than actually coming up with any good solutions.

Now it was noon.

I didn't know where we were, exactly, but I did know that we were very close to where we were supposed to be and damn if I wasn't nervous. I decided now would be a good time to stop and take our first break of the day. The fact that we were near a quaint forest was awfully convenient. It wasn't dense like the Black Forest in the Badlands, but it was thicker than the one in Mushroom Kingdom. I slowed the horse to a stop next to one healthy tree and began to climb down. Only after I was standing and holding out my hand to her did Daisy blink and start to dismount as well. She and I made our way over to the base of a nearby tree where we sat. I pulled the bag Mario had given me into my lap and began to examine its contents.

For one, there was a burlap pouch about the size of my fist with tons of gold coins in it. Hm. That might come in handy. There was also a bunch of food, like mixed nuts and bread and cheese. Along with that were four canteens of water, a first aid kit, a flannel blanket, some matches, a dagger, and a flashlight.

Nice.

My brother seemed to have thought of everything we might need. But only for a trip to Peasley's kingdom and back. I didn't even think about that until now. What would he think when we didn't come back right away? Would he worry? Or would he be too caught up with Peach?

_Don't think like that; he's your brother. Of course he cares _

Either way, we weren't going back there. Not now at least. I wondered if Daisy knew? She had to. Otherwise she'd have asked me about our change in route a long time ago. So I'm assuming she's fine with this detour. I turned to her now and saw her sitting beside me with her legs crossed and her eyes on the ground. She was still incredibly distracted. I wanted to talk to her so badly but at the same time I tried to give her some space. I pulled the map out from my pocket and unfolded it.

"You wanna see?" I asked her.

Daisy looked up and over, then scooted closer to me. I took that as a yes. While she studied the lines and drawings on the map, I studied her. This was the first time she'd gotten out of that daze of hers and concentrated on something. Daisy pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear and wet her lips.

"So we should reach the mansion by this evening?" She stated questioningly.

I nodded, "That sounds about right. Peasley told you where we were going?"

She said, "Yes."

"Is something wrong?" I asked her then.

Daisy took her gaze off of the map and looked up at me strangely. It was as if she wanted to tell me and was this close to doing so, but something was holding her back.

I told her, "It's okay. You can talk to me about it. I promise I'll listen."

It was true. I was good at that. She blew out a sigh and looked down at her lap again. When she started fidgeting with her two index fingers, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and waited. Daisy tensed at first and I almost pulled back, but she soon relaxed and leaned into me.

"Luigi." She started to say difficultly, "There's something I have to tell you."

"Go ahead." I coaxed.

"Well first I want to apologize. I uh, haven't been totally honest with you," she admitted quietly.

I frowned, "What do you mean?"

She wouldn't meet my eyes as she said, "I kept a lot of things secret. Things about my life before I came to Mushroom Kingdom."

"Like what?" I replied.

"I'm not really just a. I mean I wasn't always poor like I am now." She began, "Where I came from, I was a princess."

_Was not expecting that, _I thought dully. _Princess? Daisy? No, that never really crossed my mind. _

"A princess of where?" I asked her.

"Sarasaland." She told me.

Although I didn't have the slightest clue where that was, I believed Daisy. Which was odd because she just told me she's been lying to me for the past few weeks. Well, not lying, just omitting some things.

"So why did you leave?" I wanted to know.

I tried to ask her in a way that wasn't too blunt and tactless. She didn't seem to mind so I guess I'd accomplished the right tone.

Daisy explained, "Eight years ago an alien took over my homeland. The monarchy, my family and I, fell and Tatanga...the alien rose to power. Before he could kill us, my father smuggled my cousins, my mother, and me to the Mushroom Kingdom. We made a life here and never returned to our old home again."

I could understand all that perfectly. Really I could. As much as Mario and I came to the rescue of other nobles and average Joe's alike, I knew that these things happened. It was unfortunate that all this happened to someone I knew intimately, like Daisy, but it couldn't be helped. It seemed like everyone around me was suffering in their own way; she was no exception apparently.

When I looked down at her to offer her some sort of consolation, I could see fear in her eyes. The fear of being judged and condescended. Why would that be? How could she expect that from me? Didn't she know I loved her and wouldn't ever look down on her, no matter what?

"I swear, Luigi, I didn't mean to deceive you." She spoke solemnly, "I may have withheld a lot of things, but nothing I've told you was a lie. My mother did leave us, my father did perish in the Great War, and I really have been raising my cousins since then."

"I just couldn't tell you because Tatanga; the alien, he had a bounty on our heads and in the past people have tried to make good on that claim. But once I got to know you, I did think about telling you," She claimed.

I didn't understand why she felt the need to explain herself to me. To keep her former life a secret was her prerogative. In my opinion, it was a wise choice. Like I said, Mario and I have been on a lot of adventures, I've seen how dangerous things can be for members of a fallen monarchy. But now that she was admitting to all of this, I realized how much sense things were making: for instance, it was no wonder her cousins were so wary of me. After what happened to them, I wouldn't trust a soul either.

"So why are you telling me this now?" I asked. "Not that I'm not glad to hear it. I mean, I'm not glad to hear that all this stuff happened to you and your family, I'm just glad to hear that you're a princess. Not that I like you any better because of it. B-But I do like you."

_Why doesn't anything I ever say to her come out right? _

Daisy smiled up at me and melted my heart. I was glad to see her smile for once today. She leaned into me some more and I tightened my arm around her.

"I know what you mean." She murmured, "And to answer your question, it's because I don't have to worry about being dragged to Tatanga anymore: he's dead now. He and his armies have been driven out of the kingdom by a faction of old generals and a rag-tag militia."

I lifted both brows and said, "Oh. That's good right?"

I had to ask because she wasn't acting as if that was such good news.

Daisy said, "In a way. But the kingdom is in a state of anarchy now. They need a leader."

"Ah," I whispered, "So you have to go back."

Daisy shook her head quickly and said, "I'm not going back. When my father left with our family, he was branded a coward by much of the four kingdoms. The people were angry with him for abandoning them to Tatanga without even putting up a fight first."

She continued with, "He didn't fight because Tatanga's armies were way too much for us. Maybe they weren't on par with the Dark King's, but it was still a formidable force. Still, the people needed someone to blame and he fit the bill. That's why I won't return; I'm not sure they'd want me after all that's happened."

I argued, "Yeah but does that really matter? The throne is your birthright."

"Maybe, but Sarasaland hasn't been my home in years. I've dissociated from it a lot. Perhaps the generals that overthrew Tatanga will rule the kingdom now."

_And if they don't, _I wondered. I didn't say this out loud because I was selfish and that was all there was to it. I didn't want to give Daisy a reason to doubt herself even more and end up going back to be there for her people because I was too selfish. She was the best thing that had ever happened to me and I didn't want to lose her, so I was willing to let her stand by and possibly damn her kingdom to the rule of anyone noble or brutish enough to take the throne. I hung my head.

_I can't live without her, though. _

I'm sure if Daisy did go back and become ruler, she would ask me to stay by her side but I wasn't ready for that either. I wanted nothing to do with royal or political affairs.

I mean, just look at what it had done to my brother.

* * *

Just as Daisy and I had predicted, we reached our destination around nightfall. Or at least in theory we did. If the map guiding us was correct, then there should be a gaudy mansion somewhere right along this hill in front of us, beyond the forest we'd trekked through earlier. But there was no such mansion. Just a gently sloping hill. What was going on? No matter how many times I looked from the map to the space in front of me, no mansion appeared.

"What's the matter?" Daisy asked.

She was in a much more relaxed mood now that she'd gotten that confession off of her chest. Beside me she walked with the horse's reins bundled in her hand. I glanced over at her and frowned.

"The map, it says we're here, but." I trailed off and she seemed to get the picture.

With the full moon hanging forebodingly in the night sky and the silent wind whispering through the treetops, I was overcome with a huge sense of deja vu. I shivered and put the map away in my back pocket for all the good it was doing me. We were lost and it was getting darker by the minute; not a good combination, even if we did have a flashlight.

"Maybe we can ask that man for help." Daisy suggested.

I asked her, "What man?"

She pointed to the woods we'd broken out of not too long ago and said, "There was a man in the clearing. He was leaning against a tree, playing a lute or something."

I had seen no such man. But right then I didn't want to spend any more time out here than was absolutely necessary so I followed Daisy back into the woods. She navigated her way back to the clearing she was talking about and stopped. We both looked around but there was not a soul to be seen in the near vicinity.

Daisy pointed to a wide-based tree and said, "He was right over there. I could've sworn it."

"He must have left," I shrugged.

There was a muted thud that made the both of us spin round to face the source of that noise. It turned out to be the sound of someone landing from the upper branches of a tree down agilely onto the soft earth ground. That person was indeed a male and did have a lute strapped across his chest with the instrument resting against his back. He rose from his crouch lithely and regarded us.

When he was fully erect, he was about my height. The young man looked to be about nineteen or twenty with a slight, muscular build and pale skin. His eyes were hard and green and his hair a stunning shade of blue. It was twisted and tangled all the way down to his shoulders and was as thick as it was long. He was dressed like a soldier of some sort with those metal plates on his shoulders, the straps of which crossed over his chest in an 'X' shape. The steel-toed combat boots he had on also tipped me off to his rank. He wore no shirt so all of his toned torso was on display. By his smug expression, I'd say he knew it was the reason Daisy was now looking a bit flushed beside me.

"Trespassers," He spoke in a quiet, amused voice. "We have a policy for people like you."

_What? Trespassing? Oh. I guess we kinda are. _

"We're not trespassing," Daisy claimed, "We're here to see the king."

The young soldier smirked and replied, "Well you're in luck; you'll meet him at your trial."

I blinked. "You're arresting us?"

"Standard protocol," The soldier shrugged, "You understand."

_Actually I don't... _

He then said, "Now if you could put your hands out in front of you like so and make this easy for me, I'd be much obliged."

While he spoke, he waved his wrist and conjured a jangling set of thin chains out of nowhere. I frowned; so he's a magician of some sort and a soldier too? That didn't sound good. This guy could be trouble.

"Wait," Daisy spoke suddenly, "Can't you just take us to the king? We really need to speak with him. We need his help."

The soldier twisted the chains round his wrist and paused. In the next moment he was looking Daisy up and down critically. He smirked and obviously liked what he saw. My hand itched and I had the strongest urge to put my hands on him. It was rubbing me the wrong way, that predatory smirk of his.

"If I do that for you," He murmured silkily, "What will you do for me?"

_Okay, that's enough _

I stepped in between Daisy and this creep and lifted my chin. I wasn't gonna stand here and let him come onto the girl I loved. Not for one minute.

"What do you want?" I asked curtly.

The soldier tilted his head and gazed at his nails idly. "Depends. What are you offering?"

_Not her, _I thought when his eyes flicked over to Daisy. I remembered the gold coins that Mario had packed and reached into my bag to retrieve them. From the pouch I took a generous handful of currency and held it out to him with a raised brow. He hesitated before reaching past my outstretched hand and taking the pouch from me.

_You bastard... _

"This'll do." He smirked. "Right this way."

I couldn't help but glare at the guy as he sauntered away. I hadn't even been around him for five minutes and already I felt the makings of resentment towards him. He was cocky and underhanded, I could see as much from the start. Daisy nudged me, though, so I reluctantly began to follow after him.

_At least we're getting to the king. That's what matters _

The soldier led us back to the sloping his and this time climbed it. Unless there was something on the other side, I was very confused right then. We'd already been here; the mansion was still nowhere in sight.

The soldier stopped at the top of the hill and I realized it was more of a plateau almost. The young man's right hand began to glow bright blue and slowly he lifted it straight in front of him. In the next instant, the air in front of us started to ripple and then that huge, Victorian-style mansion came into view. Of course.

Of fucking course.

Why didn't I realize this sooner? My arch enemy thrived on illusions and mind tricks, so of course his mansion would be invisible to the naked eye, inaccessible except by means of magic. It just fit him to a T. I guess in my time spent away from the foul king, I'd forgotten his nature.

The soldier led us up to the front doors and simply opened one of them.

"After you, beautiful," He murmured to Daisy, sweeping his hand out dramatically.

Daisy blushed and looked back at me. I nodded, and she stepped through the door. When it came time for me to go in, the soldier cut in front of me and let the heavy wooden door nearly slam in my face.

"Sorry about that," The soldier smirked.

I shrugged and said, "It's cool."

_You bastard..._

He was really beginning to get on my nerves but I brushed it off and kept cool. That soldier led us from the short hall past the front doors to a foyer-like area. There was a giant rug that spanned the entire square room with the image of my enemy himself embroidered onto it. From the ceiling an antique chandelier hung and there were paintings and candlesticks hanging from the walls.

_Wallpaper's tacky as ever, _I noted.

This place creeped me out, I wouldn't lie. But I knew Daisy wasn't comfortable either so I pretended it didn't bother me, for her sake. She stood beside me and slid her clammy hand in mine. It made me feel a bit reassured to know I wasn't the only one on edge. I was so used to being with my fearless brother but now I didn't feel like so much of a yellow-belly.

As we climbed a curving set of carpeted stairs, the soldier turned to us and pointed to the stone bridge up ahead. There was a huge gap between the top step we were approaching and the balcony across from it. That bridge looked out of place but vaguely familiar.

"You might wanna hurry up," The soldier advised.

Instead of walking across the bridge, he levitated to the balcony at the other end and landed on the soft flooring with his arms crossed. The smug look he had on was just punch-in-the-face-worthy. But his warning had struck a nerve with me. I remembered why that bridge seemed familiar.

"What does he mean?" Daisy asked me.

I took her hand and said, "Just run."

With her in tow, I darted to the balcony and just made it as the stone bridge fell away chunk by chunk. As soon as our feet touched it, the thing had started falling away. I hated that bridge then and I did now. The soldier turned and began leading us into one of the many rooms on this end of the upper floor. Before we stepped inside the area, the bridge had already magically re-spawned.

_I can't believe I almost forgot how insane this place can be _

The room we stepped into only proved my point. It was moderate in size and was also carpeted with a plush royal blue type of flooring with a gold chandelier and nothing else. Nothing save for that same tacky wallpaper and hundreds of picture frames of all shapes, sizes, and colors hanging up. Some of the frames held pictures, some of them didn't. The people inside those frames seemed to be caught in an expression of pain, torment, shock, terror, and other such emotions.

_Lovely _

In the center of the room with his back to us was a tall, slim man with sleek black hair that hung limply down his back. A fine crown was upon his head and he was dressed in crimson, archaic clothing. His dress reminded me of the type of clothes the actors wore in that old movie, _Interview with a Vampire_. The man had his pale hands clasped behind his back and was tapping one of his black-booted feet in time with some unheard music.

The soldier shut the door and several plump, white floating creatures popped out of the walls. They chittered in unison and hovered with their tongues hanging out in mid-air. It honestly scared the shit out of me. I jumped back despite my trying not to react and made the mistake of meeting eyes with the soldier. He'd obviously noticed my show of fright and was smirking knowingly. I glared at him; just one punch, just one good right hook to that stupid smirking mouth of his...that's all I wanted.

_Cursing? Imagining punching a guy in the face? This place is bringing out the worst in me. _

"Your Majesty?" The soldier spoke in that low, cool voice of his.

The man in the room turned around and I nearly pissed myself. I was literally the first person the king locked eyes with and I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes as I was filled with this intense sense of paranoia and sheer terror. Seeing him face to face left no question as to who he was and that was what got to me. He stood there grinning so hard his fangs and purple tongue showed. Those magenta eyes were glittering with extreme mirth.

"Luigi, my boy! Fancy seeing you here!" He exclaimed.

Then he laughed that raspy laugh of his that gave me the willies. Oh damn, why did I agree to come here? Why did I put myself in the same vicinity as the creature who'd tried to basically kill me in the past? Why did I let Peasley talk me into this?

Daisy tightened her grip on my hand and I saw her swallow hard. She looked scared as well, but not as much as I was. That instantly sobered me, though. This was why I was risking all this, to make sure that what happened to Peach wouldn't happen to her. And to rescue Peach, too, that was important. I choked down my fear and initial surprise at seeing the state of the king and stood tall. Daisy inched closer to me and did the same.

"It's been too long, eh Luigi?" The king continued to grin. "What brings you here?"

I worked up the nerve and said, "Bowser's captured Princess Peach. We need your help getting into his castle and rescuing her."

I know Peasley told me I should try and take Bowser down first, but this was the less dangerous way of doing things. All I wanted was to get in there, get Peach, and get out. Or better yet, have Mario work with the king and figure something out.

"Oh yes, Peachy. Sweet little thing, she is." The king drawled, "So she's gone and got herself captured again? Well it's good for her me and old Bowsy-Face aren't chummy anymore."

Again he laughed an I winced. I _hated _that laugh with all of my heart, I really did. It made my skin crawl. As if that weren't bad enough, his minions were floating around, chiming in on his laughter and making this awful, cacophonous sound fill the room.

His words were good news, though. Turns out Peasley was right about him not being allied with Bowser anymore. That was one good thing about tonight at least. I steeled my voice before speaking again.

"So you'll help us?" I asked steadily.

The king said, "Of course, of course. But I assume you'll be staying the night, right?"

_Oh hell no. No no no no no never in a million years no._

The king gave me a challenging look and it felt like he was loitering around in my soul with those malevolent pink eyes of his. He was daring me to refuse, daring me to chicken out.

_So what? Chicken out! Just don't stay the night, whatever you do! _

"Sure. We'll stay," I replied.

_...What. The hell. Is the matter with me? _

The king's smile expanded from creepy to psychotic in a fraction of a second. He laughed, his minions laughed, and he strode towards me.

"Excellent!" He boomed in a cultured voice. "I'll set up a room for you and your lovely friend here."

By now he'd reached me and turned his attentions towards Daisy. That made my insides turn to ice. I didn't care about him bothering me, but not her. Not Daisy.

"I'm sorry my dear, I don't believe we've met." He stated, "You are?"

She said in a strong, clear voice, "I'm Daisy, your Majesty."

I was proud of her for not caving under the menacing king's gaze like I almost did. The girl was surprisingly strong to say she was on the small side.

The king took her hand then and boasted, "King Boo, Master of all the creatures that bear my namesake; charmed to meet you, my dear!"

And with that he dragged his purple tongue across the back of her hand. Daisy made a face but didn't freak out like I thought she would've. Like I know I would've. She just strained a polite smile and wiped her hand on the back of her dress. I was thoroughly impressed with her diplomacy.

And thoroughly disgusted with King Boo.

"You taste heavenly by the way," He told her, "And might I say you'd make a fine addition to my ever-extensive gallery?"

He gestured to the many frames and asked me, "Wouldn't you agree, Luigi?"

"Not. In this lifetime," I remarked flatly.

Now that I'd seen Daisy sport a backbone in the presence of King Boo, I was slowly letting go of my own crippling fear. King Boo laughed scratchily once more, with his Boos doing so as well.

"I was only teasing, my boy." The king insisted. "I can see you two have already met my enforcer, ne?"

I glanced towards the soldier behind us. He smirked at me and inclined his head a bit. I didn't return the gesture.

"Now that we've all been properly introduced," King Boo stated, "Might I interest you in a tour of my humble abode?"

_Definitely not _

"Actually we're tired." I explained brusquely. "We traveled a long way to get here and would like to rest."

The king tilted his head and said, "Shame."

He was still wearing that maniacal grin. The king's enforcer held the door open for his Majesty, for Daisy, and for himself but let the door go when I was about to walk through it. This time I wasn't quick enough to stop myself and consequently, the wood smacked me in the face. The Boos in the room started giggling madly.

_This place is gonna be the death of me, I swear. _

* * *

**A/N: That's it for now! Please review you guys! Tell me what you think about the character being revealed. Also, do you guys know who the king's enforcer is? It's not that hard to figure out, lol. Any questions, comments, remarks you have, please leave it in a review! I'll see you all next chapter! **

**~DymondGold~**


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry for the huge wait! **

**Is it just me or is the new version of King Boo from Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon waaaay creepier than ever? And that laugh...my goodness****;_; **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

* * *

Daisy and I were shown to a guest room where we spent about five minutes at the most putting our things away. We literally only had enough time to put our bags near the bed and check out the layout of the room. It was mainly as I remembered King Boo's style to be. Dark oak sleigh bed with heavy red quilted sheets, fluffy white pillows and polished wood flooring. There was a nightstand, also of dark wood, with an embroidered cloth atop it and a fancy gold lamp. Even though the window on the back wall was shrouded by black drapes, I could still see that it was tall and slim and capable of letting in that sunlight that the king and his minions hated so much.

"This is...nice?" Daisy remarked.

She was sitting on the bed, looking around. I gave her a glance that told her just how I felt about being here before I could stop myself. She smiled at my expense and came over to where I stood by the door.

"It can't be that bad, Luigi," She said, "Can it?"

_You have no idea, _I thought to myself.

The door swung open and almost hit us. She and I stepped back and regarded the king and his enforcer on the other side.

"I hope you've gotten settled," King Boo started, "I was about to take dinner. Of course you'll join me?"

"I don't think so." I spoke quickly.

Truth was, I was famished and Daisy probably was, too. But I didn't want to spend any more time than was necessary around the king. Speaking of whom, he didn't seem to be pleased by my answer. He vanished from his spot at the door and reappeared beside me.

Clapping a hand on my back he said, "Oh, but I _insist_."

I shouldn't have looked at the king's enforcer. Then I wouldn't have seen the silent challenge in his dark green eyes. He was betting on me to wimp out, I could just tell, and I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. He didn't even know me and he was rapidly becoming one of my least favorite people.

"Okay. We'll come." I told the king.

Said king grinned madly and boomed, "Excellent! I just knew you'd come round!"

Daisy took my hand and made me glance at her. She was asking me, with that expression on her face, if I was sure about this. Or if this was a good idea. Either way, I'd have to say I don't know but it's done now. The king was already ushering the two of us out of the room by the small of our backs.

* * *

When she saw it, she thought she'd be sick. It was gross. Lewd. Just wrong. It sat in the dead-center of the small, empty excuse for a garden. It gleamed in the noon-day light. It was a statue, if it could truly be called that, of a slim, bare creature. It was the picture of a body consumed with lust. It was. It had to be...

"Me," She spoke in a horrified whisper.

_But surely it can't be, _she thought, _I'm not...I wouldn't..._

Never before had she seen something so jarring as her own self so sexually portrayed. There was nothing to inspire that look in her eyes, nothing to make her bite her lip like that in anticipation.

_Anticipation of what, _she wondered. She didn't think she wanted to know, but the truth was, she feared she already knew. As she gazed upon the brazen statue with an array of emotions, someone came up behind her.

"Do you like it?" They murmured next to her ear.

The crown princess of Mushroom Kingdom first shivered and then stepped far away from the Dark King. Unfortunately, the royal gardens was a small space and only so much distance could be put between them. Her efforts proved to be futile when the king smirked upon them and began striding towards her.

"I commissioned it to be built just for you, Princess." He told her.

Peach clasped her hands in front of her and turned away from the impassioned piece of architecture.

"Why have you brought me here?" She wanted to know.

The king stretched forth his hand towards the stone benches surrounding the statue. He wanted her to sit.

_I don't see why not, _she reasoned.

And so Peach gingerly took her seat with the statue at her back. She liked it that way. The thing was making her nervous. But not so much so as the king in front of her. Despite his 'gentlemanly' offer for her to sit, he himself stood with his arms behind his back. For the longest time he looked down at her and smiled in that closed-lip, unreadable way of his. It unnerved her, and she began to fidget with her dress.

_Why is this so short, _she wondered. The dress fit her like a new glove and only reached the middle of her thighs. Peach tried crossing her legs but that only made it worse. So she opted for keeping them down and clamped tightly together with her bare palms spread across the hem.

"Peaches," Bowser spoke at last, "I brought you out here to discuss the terms of our arrangement."

_...Peaches? _Already she didn't like that little nickname. But she held her tongue and waited for him to continue.

Bowser said, "Now that you are mine-"

"I'm not yours." Peach insisted quietly.

The king smirked and said, "You will be. In time. Because of that, there are some things you must be aware of."

Peach made a face but knew what he spoke of was inevitably true. She was going to be trapped here in a loveless marriage with that evil king.

_Unless Mario comes before then, _she thought wistfully.

Bowser said, "First of all, have a bit of pride, Princess. Just because you're the most beautiful creature to have ever graced the Mushroom World doesn't mean you can traipse around with your hair looking like..._that_."

It took a moment for his words to sink in, and when they did, Peach colored. With humiliation and a good deal of anger.

"Since it's obvious you're not competent in the area of hair and makeup," he drawled, "I've arranged for my servants to take on the task for you."

_How dare he, _she thought indignantly. So she had never done those things on her own before; she had still tried her best.

"As my empress, you'll need to be flawless." He gazed to the side with a smirk and said, "Like me."

With quiet resolve Peach said, "I will _never_ be like you."

Bowser's smirk faltered. He looked to the princess, staring into her lap where her clasped hands rested. With great gentleness, he reached out and lifted her chin.

"But don't you see?" He crooned, "We're already so much alike."

Peach blinked up at him and frowned, saying, "That isn't true."

The king stared hard, "Isn't it? We both essentially want the same thing, Peaches."

Bowser released her chin and took her hands. She let him pull her to her feet and then cringed when he wrapped his arms around her. Peach felt her heart leap and began to struggle to get away from the king.

"Hey, hey," He whispered, "Don't be like that. Just...let me hold you."

Peach ignored him and continued to squirm. She made the mistake of pushing her palms flat against his chest and stilled. His chest. Without her gloves, Peach could feel just how warm and taut his muscled skin was beneath his black shirt. It shamed her to admit it, but now that she had stopped moving, she found that the embrace wasn't...all that bad. It did feel nice to be held so intimately. She couldn't remember the last time she had been held like this.

Then it came to her.

At the engagement party, after this same king had assaulted her, Mario had been there for her and she'd felt safe. Loved. How could she compare that to this sick indulgence the king was forcing on her now? She glanced up at said king and he pinned her with one of his infamously knowing smirks.

"Please let me go." She asked him quietly, on the verge of ashamed tears.

He whispered near her lips, "I will. If that's what you _really _want."

"It is." She quickly insisted before her body could speak for her.

Bowser leaned back and said, "Very well."

He let his hands slide over the contours of her waist before removing them from her person. She shivered at his touch. Those warm hands left searing trails on her skin under her immodest red dress. Peach stepped back once he let her go and tried to compose herself.

But it was hard when he was standing there with his arms folded, looking at her as if he was just barely restraining himself.

_Restraining from what, _she wondered nervously. Whatever it was, she could tell it wasn't good.

"I'll leave you alone, Princess. For now." Bowser stated, "But after we are married, you're to remain by my side at all times."

_Oh no, _Peach thought in dismay.

Even if she were thinking of escape, that was out the window now. She hoped against hope that Mario would come before then. He _had_ to. She just couldn't be married to that evil fiend.

* * *

He pulled out her chair. Right as she reached the antique dining room table, that enforcer of King Boo's came up behind Daisy and pulled her chair out for her. She blushed just a little bit and she smiled politely and she thanked him. He nodded his head at her and took his seat at the king's right. Then Daisy scooted closer to where I still stood to the left of the head of the table. It just made me want to kick myself. That guy pulling out her chair in an obvious show of flirting or something.

_Why didn't I think of that?_

I let out a sigh through my nose since my mouth was twisted in a light frown. I suppose I'd rather have this enforcer behaving nicely to Daisy rather than harshly. I looked over and saw that she was also looking at me. Worriedly.

"You alright, Luigi?" She asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm cool."

King Boo leaned back in his seat at the head and spread his pale hands over the tablecloth. The crisp white cloth was almost the same shade as his skin.

"Luigi, old friend, have a seat!" He told me.

I blinked and stopped staring at him. He was seriously giving me the creeps. What with that malevolent grin still in place, and all. I moved to take my seat.

And abruptly fell right onto the hard, polished floor.

"The hell?" I muttered to myself.

I'd be lying if I said that fall didn't hurt or that I wasn't embarrassed to find not only the Boo that was responsible for pulling out my chair, but also the king himself laughing at my expense. I cleared my features and simply climbed to my feet. I didn't lash out at the plump ghost that was covering its eyes, even though I wanted to. But I did look over at the king's enforcer. He was giving me that smirk again.

_God I just want to..._

No. I wouldn't let him get the better of me. I took a deep breath and let it out though my nose. When I got settled, Daisy put her hand on top of mine and I turned to her. She looked hurt on my behalf. I wished she hadn't seen that.

"I'm fine," I said in answer to her silent question.

She didn't look like she believed that but she faced forward anyway. I really was fine. I already knew this would happen, this sort of behavior. All I could do was brush it off.

Ironically it was the Boos that came floating out to serve us dinner. They set down plates in front of Daisy, me, and the enforcer. But not the king. They didn't stop there, though. They went from the double doors that probably led to the kitchen back to the table quickly, bringing more and more dishes with them. Soon there was a spread before us: mashed potatoes, cauliflowers, white beans, and rice. It was an odd meal, but I was so famished I didn't care. But then it occurred to me that this _was _my arch foe and he could be poisoning me.

But damn if I wasn't hungry.

Daisy and the enforcer were already eating. They seemed fine so far. That soldier was neat in the way that he ate. It reminded me of Bowser and how he methodically made short work of that steak he liked so much. I reached for the fancy silver fork beside my plate so that I could chow down, too, but my fingers came down onto the tablecloth. I frowned.

_If I didn't know any better, _I thought, _I'd say that the fork actually...moved. _

I shrugged it off and reached again for the silverware. And again I missed. Now I was sure. The thing had moved. I let my hand hover over the fork and slowly brought my fingers down towards it. It moved to the left. I blinked.

_The hell? _

To the left I moved my fingers but again the thing evaded me by sliding to the right. I slammed my hand down over it before it could move again, then retracted my hand because I could feel the thing _squirming _against my palm. King Boo laughed and made me glance over at him. There he sat, with his elbows on the table and his head cradled in his clasped hands. His long hair brushed the edges of the tablecloth as he shook with mirth.

"Dig in, Luigi!" He encouraged, "The food is excellent, is it not, Miss Daisy?"

Said girl blinked owlishly upon being addressed and nodded shyly. She must've been hungrier than I thought because this was the first time she looked up from her plate. I gave the king a hard look because I knew he had to have realized what was going on. Maybe he even orchestrated it himself. From him I turned and reached for my fork; it stayed put this time. But when I went to stab a cauliflower, my lump of mashed potatoes morphed into a loose caricature of a grinning face. My heart skipped a beat and I dropped the fork.

"Is something wrong?" Daisy whispered to me.

I shook my head. The mashed potatoes had already relaxed back into its natural, smooth form. I didn't have to glance at the king to know he was probably behind this as well. His booming laugh gave him away.

"Forgive me, Luigi," He chortled, "But it's been so long since I've had guests, you see. Especially ones as wonderful as you two."

From then on, there were no more tricks. With that distraction gone, I had the chance to enjoy the meal. It really wasn't that bad. Flavorful and rich, it was hardly what I expected. We had also been given a glass of white wine and although I don't drink, I decided to make an exception. As I took a sip, I noticed Daisy was tentatively doing the same. She must not be used to wine because she only took a small bit into her mouth at a time. After she let the taste linger in her mouth, while she made this cute, thoughtful expression, she swallowed and turned to me. Then blushed. I'd done it again. Been caught staring at her eat. Er, drink. She blushed now as she had before.

That made me smile.

The Boos started making their rounds again. This time they brought desert. It was ice cream, vanilla by the looks of it, and cheesecake with whipped cream. I was starting to notice a pattern here: all of the food was white. I wondered why that was. As my plate of sweets was put down in front of me, I heard someone clear their throat softly.

It was the enforcer.

He had on one of his insipid smirks but this time he pointed his spoon to the left of my head. I frowned but turned to where he was gesturing. The Boo that was there just a few inches from my head dropped the tin pan of white pie it was holding and covered its eyes. I already deduced that the pie was probably meant for me. Since it was sneaking up like that, the Boo most likely was trying to get me in the face with it. Hm. The enforcer, he'd warned me just in time, it would seem. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all. I turned to thank him but found his attention was currently diverted. He was busy giving Daisy a once-over and a suggestive wink. She flushed and looked down at her plate.

_On second thought..._

* * *

**A/N: Short, I know. But once again, when I go a while without updating, I need to put out _something _to get the ball rolling again. I hope you enjoyed nonetheless. **

**I would love it if you guys left a review telling me a) if you liked it or not, b) if you know who the enforcer is, or c) if you have anything else to say in reaction to the chapter! I'll be looking forward to your feedback guys! Until then...**

**~DymondGold~**


	21. Chapter 21

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

* * *

During the latter half of dinner things got boring. Mainly because King Boo had started talking a whole lot more. I wasn't really participating in the conversation, just picking at my desert and trying not to glare at that enforcer of his. Daisy, though, was humoring the king with gentle banter. That was sort of a surprise to me. The king was actually being somewhat civil. Until just now, that is.

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. He stared at Daisy and then he stared at me. As soon as I locked onto those magenta, soulless eyes I tensed and sat up that much straighter.

"So how long have you been together?" King Boo asked the both of us.

I didn't think that was any of his business and I told him so. He only laughed good-naturedly. I hated to hear him laugh but at least he got the message to leave the topic alone. It didn't concern him. His enforcer, though, was another matter.

He gazed at Daisy and asked offhandedly, "So you aren't together?"

"We are." I told him curtly.

_So back the hell off, _I wanted to add but decided not to. It kind of went without saying, what with my cold tone of voice and all. Still, the enforcer stared at her. She was blushing a little bit, right on the apples of her cheeks. That let me know she was nervous in a bad way and not just shy or fighting a smile.

"Shame." Was the last thing the enforcer said.

His voice was quiet and wistful, but at the same time hard and aloof. I didn't know what his problem was, but I really wished he would leave Daisy alone. She didn't want him, from the looks of it, and I'd made it clear that we were together. What was it gonna' take for that to get through to him?

_A good, solid right hook might do the trick _

Yeah, but that guy knew magic and probably could fight well, too. He wasn't an enforcer for nothing, I bet.

With him silent, I began to tune out of the conversation again. I was really only waiting for Daisy to finish speaking with the king. I had nothing to say to him. But then things got interesting because King Boo apparently had something to say to me.

He addressed me with, "Luigi, old pal, I'm surprised at you."

I frowned and dropped my spoon onto my plate. I wasn't really keen on dessert anyway.

"Why is that?" I asked.

The king tilted his head and replied, "Don't you want to know how I got out of that blasted machine?"

"Not particularly," I lied.

I did want to know. I was curious. The last time I'd seen King Boo was when the professor and I locked him away and saved Mario. That was a while ago, though.

King Boo raved, "Nonsense! You must be wondering!"

"Not really," I told him calmly.

Daisy nudged me and whispered, "What is he talking about?"

"Nothing," I said, and then sighed. "I mean, just something that happened some years ago."

Somehow the king overheard her.

"You mean she doesn't know?!" King Boo exclaimed with a grin.

I winced at his loud, raspy voice and shook my head. I really would like to keep things that way. But it would seem the king had other ideas. He leaned forward onto the table and let his long dark hair pool over the white cloth. His eyes were glowing now and that fanged grin was at its peak.

"A long time ago, my dear," The king began conspiratorially, "Your boy and I had quite the time in old Evershade Valley."

_Oh God, here he goes, _I lamented. I hated that time. Sure it felt great to face my fears of freaky ghosts and it was nice to save my brother, but that wasn't one of my fondest memories. Given what happened, I didn't think that King Boo would cherish that night either.

_Guess I was wrong _

"While I was making merry and causing mischief," King Boo continued, "Luigi cavorted with that professor and spoiled all my fun. Sucked me into that blasted machine for all eternity, he did. But that's all in the past now because as you can see, I got out!"

The king laughed but when he sobered, his eyes clouded over with something sinister and he gave me a really evil smirk. One where that fang in the corner of his mouth, the longest one I believe, glinted malevolently at me. He leaned over to me so that only I could hear what he said next.

In a low, gravelly voice, he threatened, "And this time I _won't _be going back."

I swallowed but otherwise remained completely unfazed. On the outside. On the inside, I was starting to panic. What did he mean by that? How _did_ he get out? And why did he look like he did now? Daisy asked aloud one of these questions that were bothering me.

"So how did you free yourself?" She inquired.

The king said, "I'm glad you asked, dear."

We both waited for him to elucidate but he did not. He just sat there grinning. I cleared my throat. He didn't respond.

"...Well?" Daisy prompted him.

King Boo said, "Well what?"

"Aren't you going to tell us how you got out?" She asked.

The royal replied, "Oh, Heavens no! But I _am_ glad you asked."

I could have face-palmed. That was his game, then. Get us interested knowing he wasn't gonna spill either way. I was so done with this conversation but still Daisy engaged him.

"I think I have heard of you before," She started, "but weren't you a ghost? Like you, um, Boos?"

The king grew excited, "Yes! Indeed I was!"

"So what made you human?" She then asked.

He said, "Oh, now who said I was human?"

"But.."She faltered, "You look just like..."

I could see that King Boo was getting a kick out of this. Daisy was furrowing her brow trying to piece everything together. She worried the corner of her lip and drummed her index finger on her thigh. Then her light eyes widened and she addressed the king.

"After you got out of the, uh, machine that Luigi trapped it in," She began, "Were you hit by the Composition Curse?"

How very clever of her; I didn't even think about that. If that were true, it'd explain a lot. Like how, even though he looked human, King Boo was able to float around and pass through walls and manipulate things. Why didn't I think of that?

King Boo raised both his black brows and said, "Compa-what, now?"

Daisy explained, "Composition Curse: it's an attack that alters your genetic coding."

The king shook his head and said, "I was hit by no such curse."

I glanced up by chance and saw that the enforcer was eyeing Daisy intensely. He was gripping his fork with whitened fingers and his mouth was set in a firm, grim line. He seemed to be studying her. That unwavering stare was not sitting well with me. Then Daisy happened to catch sight of it and she paled. It unnerved her, too. So much so, that she rose from the table slowly.

"I'm tired," She said quietly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the meal, but I think I'll go to bed now."

And then she was leaving. It was about time. I pushed my chair back from the table and stood, intent on following her. I didn't make it two steps before I realized the hard way that my trainer laces were tied together. I fell forward but caught myself just in time. Instead of smashing my face on the polished floor, I landed in the push-up position. The culprit, a chunky, chortling Boo, floated up from the ground where my feet had been.

King Boo was in hysterics. Even his enforcer chipped a smile. I ignored them and climbed to my feet. Carefully, I untied my trainers and took a deep breath. It was nothing. I wouldn't let this get to me. Besides, Daisy wasn't here to see this; that did make me feel a small bit better. But I didn't trust myself to look at either the king or his lackey without cursing them out or even flipping the bird so I shoved my hands in my pockets and headed upstairs.

* * *

"Remind me again why we're here."

"...For the princess?"

"Right. The princess."

"Why do you, uh, ask?"

_Because I hate this place and want to burn it to the ground _

I decided to keep my sentiments to myself and sat on the bed. Daisy was already there so when I did sit, she put her hand on my arm. I took that hand and entwined it with my own. She smiled up at me. I just couldn't smile back, though. I really hated it here.

"You know he didn't even mention anything about helping us save her." I recalled.

Daisy said, "Maybe we'll all talk about it in the morning."

I bowed my head and murmured, "I hope so. Otherwise this trip would've been for nothing."

I felt Daisy tug on my hand when she said, "Hey. We've gotta stay positive, okay? Peasley had faith that this would work so we have to see this through."

I sat up and ran my free hand through my hair and said, "Yeah. You're right."

Daisy smiled and stood. "That's the spirit, Luigi."

_You mean that **would be **the spirit if I were to actually embrace it; at the moment I really don't. _

It was sad, but true. I was having a hard time believing that this would turn out in our favor, based on the way things were playing out so far. It seemed like King Boo only had one thing in mind; humiliating me. I flopped back onto the bed and wiped my hands over my face. When I peeked through my fingers and saw a Boo dipping down from the ceiling I cringed.

There was a knock on the door.

"Um, come in." Daisy called.

There were only two people that could have been at the door; I didn't want to see either one.

It was the enforcer.

He didn't open the door and step into the room like a normal person; no, he had to make an entrance. He had his arms crossed as he floated through the door and into the room. He hovered over to where Daisy and I sat and let his boots alight upon the floor.

"Evening," He greeted smoothly.

"What do you want?" I asked him wearily.

I sat up and noticed that Boo was a lot closer now. I tried to shoo it away but it was covering its eyes. When I turned my head, it licked my cheek. I glared at the enforcer.

"Can't you call this thing off?" I griped.

As I wiped my cheek, the enforcer jerked his head lightly to the side. The Boo vanished with a high-pitched chitter. The soldier glanced from me to Daisy. He let his eyes linger on her, much to her discontent, and I frowned. Between his blatant advances and the king's shenanigans, I was getting real fed up.

"Did you want something?" I asked him tersely.

_Whatever it is, get on with it and leave _

The soldier looked at me and said, "Even after all this time you don't recognize me?"

"What?" I replied.

Again he faced Daisy and said, "Princess Daisy of Sarasaland."

She paled and said, "How do you know who I am?"

"I've made it my business to know." He responded.

I frowned, "And why is that?"

He didn't answer me.

Instead he stated, "I know you, too: Luigi Mario, brother of Mario Mario. We've had a great deal of encounters, you and I. Although back then I worked for the Dark King."

Now I was puzzled. How did he know me and Mario? He said we'd had encounters. He definitely wasn't a friend, I would've known by now, so that made him a baddie. But who? I tried to think about all the guys we've fought in the past. Blue hair, green eyes. Wait a minute. This is actually ringing a bell. Then it came to me.

I could've kicked myself.

"Ludwig?" I tried.

He smirked and said, "The one and only."

Daisy's face lit up in recognition, then furrowed into an expression of confusion.

She said, "But...you were so little back then."

"I was thirteen." He explained.

Daisy asked, "How old are you now?"

"Old enough." He smirked.

She flushed and said awkwardly, "Oh. You've uh, lost all you baby fat."

"Would you like to see what I've gained in its place?" He asked, that smirk growing.

I still couldn't fathom that this lean young soldier was Ludwig Von Koopa. I mean, he was essentially the same but what had happened to the rotund little turtle beast that served under Bowser? While Daisy looked away with a faint blush, I laid into him.

"So you don't work for Bowser anymore?" I asked.

Ludwig rolled his eyes and said, "Obviously not or else I wouldn't be here."

His tone and sour expression denoted a sense of bitterness. I wondered why that was. But I had more questions for the grown-up Koopaling.

"Why are you in that form now?" I inquired.

With a tilt of his head Ludwig replied, "I think you already know."

"The Composition-" Daisy started.

Ludwig cut her off curtly and said, "Yes. That."

Now his face was withdrawn, unreadable, and his voice was low and quiet.

"But that isn't important." He claimed.

"Oh?" I said, "Then what is?"

"You two are planning to save your friend, the uh, princess?" He asked.

Daisy and I nodded.

"Well I happen to know how you can do that." He spoke.

"You'll help us?" Daisy asked carefully.

Ludwig studied his nails and said, "Yes. For a reasonable price."

And that's where he had me. I didn't trust him. Not at all. He was too slick and conniving, or at least that's the way he came off. Daisy had no qualms about receiving his help, though.

She asked, "What do you want."

"Not much," Ludwig said, "I'll let you know exactly what when your decision is final."

If I thought he was shady before, that did it. He couldn't tell us upfront what he wanted? Red flags were going off. Before Daisy could say anything else, I interjected.

"I think we'll take our chances with the king." I told him.

Ludwig smirked and said, "Good luck with that."

"What do you mean?" Daisy asked.

He shrugged and said, "King Boo might say one thing, but he sometimes means another. And if he tells you he'll do something, that doesn't mean he'll come through."

Daisy's shoulders drooped at this news and she said, "Oh."

I didn't lose hope simply because I didn't entirely take this guy's word as the whole truth. Why should I believe him? I didn't even like him.

"And what about you?" I asked him, "How do we know _you'll _come through?"

"Because I always do." Ludwig said simply.

Then he disappeared in a shimmer of blue smoke that smelled like something I couldn't name, something edgy. I frowned for the umpteenth time today. I was trying to figure out what made Ludwig leave Bowser, and what he was doing here, serving King Boo. And if he was here, where were the other Koopalings? Were they hit by the curse, too?

_Maybe I should just leave all this alone_

"So what do you think, Luigi?" Daisy asked me.

I didn't know what to tell her. On the one hand, we could use the extra help. But at what expense?

"I think we ought to leave him alone." I said. "He seems like trouble."

Daisy said, "But maybe he could help us."

"He can't be trusted." I reasoned.

She said, "Maybe you're right. But what if he was right, too? About King Boo."

That was very likely. The king has done nothing but tease me since I got here. But I still wanna take Ludwig's help.

"This kid used to work for Bowser." I pointed out.

"So did King Boo." Daisy reminded me.

"Well maybe we should leave both of them alone." I said wryly.

Daisy smiled sadly and said, "We have to at least try to work something out. For Princess Peach's sake."

"Alright." I acceded.

She and I removed our shoes and went to bed. It wasn't comfortable sleeping in my jeans but I made due by putting myself in the princess's place. I knew she had to be a lot worse off than me, being stuck with Bowser.

Daisy seemed to be of the same mindset because she seemed extra somber. The girl scooted close to me and turned to face my chest. I looked at her. Worrying wouldn't help the situation. I tried to convey this when I strained me neck down so that I could kiss those furrows out of her brow. She blinked up at me and laid her hand on my shirt.

"Luigi," She whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're with me."

I stroked her cheek with the back of my hand and kissed her forehead again. Then I put my arm around her. I longed to kiss her lips. I knew they had to taste of white wine, that's the last thing that passed through them. But I didn't do that because she needed to be comforted right now. She was anxious and just needed me to hold her, so I did. And that's how we fell asleep.

* * *

Bowser had kept his word; after speaking with her in the garden he'd left the princess to her own devices. Peach was just glad to be rid of the king for the moment, never mind the fact that she was hopelessly lost in his castle.

_Who knew this place was so large, _Peach thought to herself.

She was trying to get back to the master bedroom, but somewhere along the line she'd obviously made a wrong turn or two. Or ten. From the garden she had backtracked to the throne room. She didn't remember if the bedroom was to the left or the right, or if it was down one of those halls near the entrance. She had decided to go past the double doors to the immediate left of the throne room. But that had led her to the ballroom. From there she wandered unsurely and had happened upon what she believed were the royal kitchens. That's where she was now.

The royal kitchens was ordinarily a busy place. Today was no exception. All around people were moving about, cooking and cleaning and doing their jobs. An array of scents could be detected and the cacophony of orders being given, of tasks being assigned could be heard.

_Oh my, _Peach thought. _What a noisy place! _

But she liked how the servants all knew what to do and how they all worked efficiently. They also worked together, in harmony. A smile was passed here or a chuckle there. It was a friendly atmosphere, something she had not expected to see at the Dark King's palace. The servants' cordiality with one another made the princess smile faintly. These people's congeniality reminded her of that of the toads back at her palace.

_The toads, _she thought, _I wonder how they are doing. And Mario; how is he holding up? I hope they're all well. _

"Princess?"

Peach looked around upon hearing the small voice. She saw that it was the Crown Prince who had spoken. He was there beside her, his nice clothes now dirtied and his face stained as well. He had his hair down and his feet still bare from this morning. She wish she had thought to keep a handkerchief on her; the boy was absolutely grubby.

"Yes?" she said in response to the child.

Junior said, "How come you are here? By the kitchens?"

For that she had but one answer.

"I got lost," She admitted.

Junior seemed to understand. He said, "The palace is a very big place."

"It is." Peach nodded politely.

"Are you going to um, eat something too? That's why I am here. I'm done with my training right now and I have to eat so I don't be hungry when I go back."

Peach wasn't quite hungry. Breakfast was still holding her over. So she shook her head and watched the prince tilt his head.

"Oh." He said. "Will you come sit to the table with me then? I have to sit up there all the way until the cookers bring me the food."

_Take dinner with this child? I suppose that wouldn't be so bad, _Peach thought. And it wasn't as if there were anything she particularly needed to be doing.

"Alright," Peach said.

Junior beamed and reached up to take her hand. Peach saw just how dirty, and how slightly long, his nails were. She wondered what his training consisted of, and why it would get him so dirty.

When the two of them got to the dining room, Junior released the princess' hand and climbed into his chair, then sat atop those heavy thick books. He swung his legs and waited for Peach to slip into her own seat across from him. He didn't speak to her in the time it took for his lunch to be brought out, though he did look over at her and smile quite often. He seemed to be enjoying her company, silent as it was. Peach didn't know what to make of his.

On the one hand, he was a pleasant enough child, but she just couldn't get his performance at the feast out of her mind. She had never known a little five year old boy, of any species, to be so physically precocious as he. That ruthlessness she'd seen in the way he took on those three creatures was frightening. Mainly because it reminded her of a certain Dark King.

_He is so much like his father, _Peach mused.

For one, they looked almost exactly alike. Well, Junior was more of a tame version of his father. Where Bowser's jade eyes were hypnotic, Junior's were innocuous. Where the king's lips were smirking and sensuous, Junior's were almost constantly spread over a smile. The boy was charming, though, like his father. But in a less personal way; he was more friendly whereas Bowser's type of charm bordered on something sexual.

_Maybe he isn't so alike to him as I thought, _Peach realized.

Junior glanced over at her and grinned again. She knew it, then. He was not at fault for that barbaric display. Whatever plan Bowser had in store for him, Junior had no control over.

Peach frowned. _How sad; Bowser using his own son as...some kind of weapon. _

And speaking of the Dark King; he came striding past the double doors that led to the dining room. In tow were a handful of MagiKoopa. When he saw his son he didn't bat an eye, but when he saw Peach, he grinned and winked at her. Peach diverted her attention back to Junior.

Unfortunately that only left her unaware of his impending presence. Bowser approached her, as did his court of advisers. He thankfully crossed his arms over his chest.

_If his hands are at his chest, he can't touch me, _Peach rationalized.

"Getting acquainted with your son, I see." Bowser stated.

Peach's expression was troubled as she said, "My son?"

"As my wife, you are also Junior's mother." Bowser explained.

"I'm not your wife." Peach declared.

Bowser said, "No, but you will be."

"Not if Mario stops you," Peach murmured.

Bowser heard her and said, "You really think that damn plumber can stop me?"

Peach's eyes darted to Junior. She didn't approve of the king speaking like that in front of his young heir but the boy seemed unfazed. He must be used to that kind of language. That didn't sit well with her at all. Junior did seem affected by one thing his father had said, though.

He hesitantly asked, "The princess is my mama?"

Before Peach could set the boy straight, Bowser said, "That's right. So you be good to her, understand?"

"Yes daddy," Junior grinned, "I will be extra good to my new mama!"

Peach frowned at the king. He merely smirked and reached down to run his knuckles against her jaw.

"Don't be so upset, Peaches." He drawled, "Being a mother is easy. Junior practically takes care of himself, after all."

_That's not the point, _Peach knew, but refrained from saying so. It was hard to speak when that dirty king was leering down at her with his hungry eyes. She scooted over in her chair and swallowed hard. That seemed to bring Bowser out of his hazy staring. He continued to eye her critically, but started walking away. As soon as he was gone, Junior started up again.

"I didn't know you was going to be my new mama," The boy exclaimed, "So that means you gonna marry daddy and stay here for all the time, um, ever?"

Peach didn't want to squash his enthusiasm. It was plain to see how starved for attention the boy was. But she didn't want to stay here and be a mother to a child that wasn't her own. She wanted to go home. She wanted to build a family with Mario, not Bowser.

But she was afraid that if Mario didn't show up soon, that would no longer be possible.

* * *

Early the next morning Daisy and I were up and downstairs, looking for the king. It was time to take care of business. To do what we came here for: figure out a way to save Peach.

We found him in the kitchen.

The kitchen was smaller than I imagined, but as I figured, it was filled with Boos. They were everywhere. Phasing in and out of view and laughing about nothing. Some of them had pots and pans on their heads and some were just hovering near the king. Said royal was leaning on the counter across from the doorway where we stood. He had an empty glass in his hand that he seemed to be studying. When he saw us he grinned doggishly.

"Good morning!" He greeted "I trust you slept well?"

_Yeah right _

If it weren't for Daisy, I would've never relaxed.

"How are you going to help us get Peach back?" I said.

I decided to skip the pleasantries and get right down to it. The king was acting as if he couldn't comprehend, though.

"Do what, now?" He said.

"I said, how are you going to help us rescue Peach from Bowser's castle?"

King Boo chuckled and said, "Well, now, I really don't want to get in the middle of all that."

_Do my ears deceive me or is he wimping out? _

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "Last night you said you'd help us."

"Did I?" King Boo asked with an exaggerated tilt of his head.

"So you're not going to help us?" Daisy spoke with the makings of disbelief in her tone.

"Uh no." King Boo said.

"You lied to us?" Daisy asked disappointingly.

The king said, "I'm sorry. It's just, well, I haven't had guests in so long. I just told you I would help so that you would stay."

_You've got to be kidding me _

"So basically you wasted our time." I stated in a deadpan voice.

_And put me through undue stress and humiliation _

"That's one way to look at it," The king mused.

_So he was full of shit after all. Surprise, surprise. _

"Come on Daisy." I said disgustedly.

I gently took her by the hand and led her to the front doors. The king laughed.

"Where are you going?"

"We're leaving." I called over my shoulder.

_Where the hell do you **think** we're going? Disneyland? _

"Well don't be a stranger, Luigi!" The king called as we left, "You're always welcome here!"

I rolled my eyes: _As if._

When the doors shut behind us and I had the morning sun beaming down on my face, I started to lose some of my anger. It just made me sick to know that we'd lost a whole day and night because of the king's bullshit. What did that time cost Peach? How much was she suffering right now?

"What do we do now?" Daisy asked.

I realized I was trudging aimlessly downhill with a scowl on my face. I'd nearly forgotten about Daisy. Her presence was another thing that helped calm me down.

To answer her question I said, "Go back to Mario, I guess."

"Where's the horse?" She then asked.

Right there in front of the woods, beside Ludwig. That's where it was. Along with his black pants and steel-toe boots and shoulder armor he wore a knowing smirk.

"Leaving so soon?" He said while gripping the reins of the horse.

After what had just happened, I didn't want to deal with this kid too. And I didn't want to hear his 'I-told-you-so's. So I didn't say anything. Daisy spoke to him, though.

"You were right," She said.

"Right?" Ludwig cocked a brow, "Right about what?"

"We don't have time for your games." I told him shortly. "The king lied to us. Just like you said."

Ludwig replied, "So where are you off to now?"

"I don't think that concerns you." I said brusquely.

I took the horse and turned my back to him. Daisy reluctantly began to follow me. I got about four of five feet away before Ludwig appeared out of nowhere in front of me and crossed his arms.

"Going back to your brother to let _him _do all the work?" He jeered.

I bristled but didn't rise to the bait. Instead I walked around him. But again he impeded us.

"That's how it always was in the past." He taunted. "Won't you step up for once?"

I dropped the reins and said tiredly, "Look. You don't know anything about me."

"I think I know plenty," Ludwig retorted.

Now I schooled my features and stood erect. That look in my eyes was probably hard but I didn't care. I'd had enough of this punk. I didn't need this type of aggravation. Ludwig sensed a change in me and leveled me with a challenging look in his green eyes.

Daisy stepped between us.

"Please don't fight," She implored, "Can't we work something out?"

"No." I said. "It's not worth it."

"Right, Big Brother will fix everything." Ludwig sneered.

"Stop it!" Daisy chided him. In a firm voice she said, "Now will you help us or not?"

"I already told you, beautiful, I will. For a price." Ludwig drawled.

Daisy remained stolid as she asked, "What do you want? Be clear, Ludwig."

Ludwig was silent for a moment. Then he got all blank in the face and brushed past us.

"Take hold of me." He said.

Daisy and I shared a look but held each other's hands. I reluctantly reached out mine for him to take but he grabbed Daisy's instead.

_Of course _

The contact was so that he could teleport us away from the woods to a new, colder location. The area was covered with snow. All the whiteness went on for miles, as far as I could see in every direction. The sun above was blinding and set in a cloudless blue sky. There was a steady wind whipping around. In seconds I started to shiver.

Daisy was shaking too. She took her hand back from Ludwig and stepped closer to me. I wish I had a coat or something to offer her. Unlike us, Ludwig didn't seem to be bothered by the cold, even in his shirtless state. He started walking forward through the snow and, shuddering from the chilly weather, Daisy and I followed.

It looked like we were in the middle of nowhere. There were no lakes, rivers, trees, boulders, animals, nothing. Just snow. Endless snow. Suddenly Ludwig stopped and dropped to one knee in front of us. He laid his palm deep into the white precipitation and we watched his hand glow bright blue. After it stopped glowing, a wooden hatch was revealed. Hm.

Another illusion.

Ludwig opened the hatch and started climbing down the set of stairs beneath it. Those top two steps were all I could see, the rest were drowned in pitch blackness.

"Talk about deja vu," Daisy said.

I looked at her, "What?"

She smiled fondly and said, "Peasley has one of these secret passages in his castle."

"Ah." I replied.

From the bottom of the staircase things got a bit brighter. Ludwig led us down a hall that was lit by a series of blue flames within metal cages along the walls. At the end of the hall was a large door, and past that was a living area. It looked pretty cozy. In a conservative way. The couch, the armchair to its right, and the love seat to the left were all black leather. The floor was also black, carpet though, and in front of the couch was a wooden coffee table. There was a brick fireplace across from the table and couch, blazing and crackling. This was where Ludwig told us to sit.

Daisy and I sank down onto the couch. I, for one, was glad for the heat of the fireplace. While we warmed up, Ludwig stood with his arms folded in front of us.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked quietly.

We both shook our heads. I frowned; what was up with him? Why so polite all of a sudden? Well, I guess he was just being a good host. But wait, if that was the case, then was this his home? I thought he lived with King Boo.

"If you're serious about needing my help," Ludwig began, "Then I'll need you to do something for me."

His tone had changed. It was one of no-nonsense. Good. It was high time somebody besides Daisy and I got serious.

Ludwig spoke again, saying, "In this place I have something very precious to me. While I help you take down the Dark King, one of you must stay and guard over this treasure of mine."

_Sounds reasonable, _I thought.

"What's the catch?" Daisy asked knowingly.

"There is no catch, sweetheart," Ludwig assured her.

I said, "Can we see what we'll be guarding?"

"Follow me." Ludwig acceded.

He walked from the living room area, past what looked to be the kitchen on the right and a patio to the left, down another hall. There were rooms to the left and right. Ludwig stopped at each one. He didn't say a word, just stopped and gave us just enough time to see what was inside before moving on to the next. What I expected was, oh I don't know, diamonds. Jewels. Huge stacks of money. I mean, he did say treasure, right? But no.

There were kids.

Sleeping kids. In every room, tucked into bed and snoozing away were a bunch of kids. It didn't take a genius to figure out these were most likely his siblings. Why else would he have a bunch of random kids in his supposed home? On our way back to the front room, I addressed this.

"So it's a babysitter you're after?"

Ludwig smirked, "Something like that."

"I guess that's not too bad," I said.

Daisy asked, "So one of us must stay here?"

"Yes." Ludwig answered. "One of you must stay while the other works with me to take the Dark King down."

"How are we going to keep in contact?" I asked.

Ludwig replied, "Every week I'll check in. I'll even send word to your brother."

_It all sounds too good to be true _

"So what do you say?" Ludwig asked.

Daisy said, "Can we have a bit of time to think?"

"By all means," Ludwig told her.

He took her hand and I took her other one. In an instant we were back in the field at the bottom of the hill. King Boo's mansion was nowhere in sight but I knew it was still there. Hidden away under the shroud of magic once more. The horse was still there, too, grazing in the grass.

"I'll come back here in 24 hours." Ludwig said, "Have your final answer by then."

* * *

**A/N: Another chapter done. So what do you guys think of that? The enforcer has been confirmed, but like I said, I think you guys already knew who he was. And I guess ole Bowser was wrong about the Koopalings having perished in the Great War. How will that come back to haunt him? Leave your gracious reviews as always, readers. I love hearing from you guys. **

**Here's a question for you: who do you think will stay with the kids and who will work with Ludwig? **

**Leave your guesses and stay tuned for the next update! Until then...**

**~DymondGold~**


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks for all the faves and alerts everybody! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

* * *

Only an hour had passed since Ludwig proposed his offer. With the horse ahead of us, grazing still, Daisy and I had yet to come to a conclusion. Both of us sat next to each other, letting our food digest. The motley mix of bread and water and dried fruit and meat made for an unconventional breakfast, but I was grateful to my brother for packing it nonetheless. Even with food in us, we were still no closer to a decision, though. I just didn't know about this.

"Something about Ludwig is not right." I told Daisy.

She smiled over at me and said, "Are you sure you're not just jealous?"

_That's partly true..._

Daisy was only teasing, though. She had no idea that I did feel threatened by this smooth-talking kid. He was putting the moves on her and I couldn't tell if he was seriously interested or just trying to get under my skin. Either way it didn't help me feel at all inclined to accept his help.

"He does make me nervous," Daisy admitted. "But right now he's kinda our only hope."

That was true. Things hadn't worked out with King Boo (no surprise there) so it wouldn't be wise to just let this opportunity pass.

Daisy bowed her head and sighed. "I suppose it would be best if I stayed."

"Huh?" I asked.

She looked over at me and said, "I think I should be the one to stay with the children. You can go with Ludwig to take down Bowser."

That was easier said than done. I do think Daisy would be relatively safe at that bunker, though. It was enshrouded in magic, invisible to the naked eye. And if that weren't enough, it was located smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Yeah, she would be okay. But would I? Not in the least did I relish in spending time with Ludwig, even if it was for the good of the Mushroom world. But I couldn't be too difficult. Peach was suffering out there with that nasty King Bowser. I'd put aside my differences with Ludwig so long as it meant we could save her.

I studied Daisy then. She was looking at me, waiting for me to respond. It occurred to me then that we would be splitting up for an indefinite amount of time. When we did part ways, there was no guarantee that we'd see each other again.

_Maybe I'm being a bit too pessimistic _

Ludwig did say we'd have weekly check-ins. But I couldn't help but worry. I didn't want to separate. How would I get on without Daisy with me? The girl was my love, she made even the worst situations bearable just by being there beside me.

"Luigi," She softly said, "Are you alright?"

No, I really wasn't. But I nodded anyway. I reached forward and touched the side of her face. She blinked with those light eyes and covered my hand with her own. I think she knew what I was thinking because she smiled sadly and scooted close to me.

"I don't want to do this either," She admitted, "But it's for the princess, so..."

I murmured, "Yeah."

Then I stroked her cheek and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Ahem."

Both Daisy and I jerked our heads over to the noise of someone clearing their throat. My mood instantly soured because that someone had returned early: it wasn't even evening yet and already Ludwig was standing there in front of us, looking expectant. Daisy sat closer to me and locked her fingers through mine.

She looked up at Ludwig and quipped, "Has it been 24 hours already?"

The soldier shrugged and replied, "I got impatient. Have you made your decision?"

"Yeah," I told him.

He then smirked and said, "Good. But let me inform you, there's been a change in plans. For this operation to work, I'll need Miss Daisy to accompany me. Not you."

"No way," I immediately responded.

Ludwig seemed to have anticipated this reaction. How much else did he anticipate? Did he already know I was going to choose to go with him? Or had he underestimated me? In any case, I wasn't letting Daisy go alone with the likes of him.

"Don't be so hasty," Ludwig chided nonchalantly, "Do you want my help or not?"

"You're just trying to get next to her," I accused.

He smirked and drawled, "And if I am?"

I narrowed my eyes.

Ludwig laughed and said, "Lighten up, will you? I have no intention of stealing her away from you."

I hardly believed him, so I asked, "Then why do you need her to go with you?"

The enforcer took on the look of utmost patience.

"The Dark King doesn't remember who Daisy is. He's never once attacked her kingdom, you know."

Daisy nodded and said, "It's true."

Ludwig continued. "Your pretty friend is also the type the king wouldn't suspect of any kind of subterfuge. I can work with that. Unlike you or your brother, whose identities are pretty much burned into his mind for all eternity."

Yeah, that made sense. I guess.

"And besides," Ludwig added, "I don't think you and I would've worked well together."

_And whose fault would that be? _

I knew how to be civil and put things aside for the greater purpose, but could he? Would he have stopped antagonizing me long enough for us to have made progress? Well now it doesn't matter since apparently I won't be going with him.

"What will I have to do?" Daisy asked quietly.

He eyed her and said, "I'll let you know."

I said, "What about me?"

"You should already know that; guard my treasures back at the base." Ludwig said simply.

"Base?" I frowned.

Ludwig crossed his arms and curtly explained, "That facility you've seen is the base location of our operations. It's where we'll regroup for meetings and where you'll remain for the time being."

I really didn't like the sound of all this. I'll be stuck at this cushy base while Daisy is going into the belly of the beast himself? She didn't look too thrilled about this either. In fact she seemed pale. And she was worrying her lip, that wasn't a good sign. Ludwig pulled me off to the side, though. I left Daisy reluctantly and stood with the enforcer a few feet away.

"What is it?" I asked.

Ludwig just stared at me solemnly for a few moments.

"Those treasures of mine," He murmured, "are _extremely_ important. Make sure that no harm comes to them or else this deal is off."

I said in a low voice, "Alright but the same thing goes for Daisy. Watch out for her. Don't let Bowser touch her. Don't let him hurt her."

"You're asking a lot." Ludwig said slowly.

I could tell from his grim expression that he wasn't joking around. But I didn't care.

"Do what you have to do to keep her away from him." I told him. "I mean it."

Ludwig nodded once and offered me his hand. I was slow in taking it but when I did, I gave it a firm shake. I hope I was doing the right thing, and that this wouldn't come back to haunt me. When we got back to Daisy, I noticed her features had hardened determinedly and there was no fear or trepidation lingering in her eyes or face. She glanced at me and lifted her chin.

"Don't worry Luigi," She said, "This is all gonna work out. It has to."

I didn't say anything but took her hand. She gripped mine tightly and handed me my bag. The horse was still in the field, minding its own business. Daisy strode over to it with me in tow so that she could retrieve her bag as well. Once we had our things, I turned to Ludwig.

"First thing's first," I told him, "We need to get to my brother and let him know what's going on. Can you take us there?"

Ludwig turned up the corner of his mouth disdainfully and said, "When I told you I'd send word to your brother, I didn't mean personally."

"What?" I asked.

He rolled his green eyes and said, "I'll have no dealings with him."

I shrugged, "Then you can wait outside; just take us to him please."

That must have done it: I knew it paid off to be polite because Ludwig took Daisy's hand and teleported us right to Peach's castle. I didn't blink so I saw every bit of the rapid transition. The view of the rolling hill and vast woods around King Boo's mansion vanished, then there was darkness for an increment of a second. Before Peach's modest castle came into view, there was a spur of bright lights, like when you get punched in the face and see stars.

I think it went without saying that the royal guards were a bit startled to see the three of us so abruptly. They drew their weapons, ones I didn't know they had, and slid quickly into a wall-like formation. But then one of the guards, the one I always greeted in the mornings, recognized me. He called the others off.

I didn't want to say it, but perhaps this kingdom should invest in better security. A handful of guards wouldn't do much against Bowser's army. But I think my brother's working on that. He probably just has a lot on his plate right now.

Ludwig stood off to the side and studied his nails.

"Do what you have to do," He said, "And be quick about it."

I asked, "You're not coming with us?"

"I already told you: no." He answered.

Daisy approached him and his attitude changed. He dropped his hand he had been staring at, as well as the scowl meant for me, and gazed now at her. He raised a brow and folded his arms.

She said softly, "I understand Mario may not be your, uh, favorite person, but if you were there to explain your plan to him, things would go a lot faster."

Ludwig stepped close to her and lifted her chin, murmuring, "Hm. If you insist."

He let her chin go and stepped aside so that she could lead the way. With the makings of a blush Daisy came back to my side. She obviously knew what to say to get through to him. Or maybe he just liked her. Either way, he was more receptive to her than me.

We walked past the royal guard and into the palace. From the front doors we headed to Mario's war room. I just had a feeling he'd be there. And he was. But the door was shut and I could hear voices on the other side. He must have been in a meeting of some sort. Maybe with those strategists and allies he mentioned?

"We'll have to wait." I said, standing off to the side respectfully.

Ludwig scoffed and said, "I think not."

He took Daisy's hand and phased through the door, leaving me behind. Before I could fume, Daisy opened the door for me from the other side. I was right. There was a meeting going on. And Mario didn't look at all pleased to have been interrupted. He waved his hand and the members of said meeting began filing out. As they left the room, I got out of the way so that they could pass. I also got a good look at some of them. It surprised me to see them here. For they were shady characters, underhanded neutrals that Mario and I had never made an enemy of but at the same time, had never cavorted with either. What was Mario doing plotting with them? Was he really so desperate as to call on such aid as this?

_Of course he is. If this had happened to Daisy, I would be too. _

When the room was cleared out, Mario regarded us. He was seriously not in a good mood. He sat at the head of the table and reached down for something. He came back up with a bottle. More scotch. He poured himself a glass while the three of us waited. Daisy seemed nervous at the sight of my brother drinking. It no longer fazed me. Ludwig had his arms folded over his bare torso and was leaning against the wall.

"That was a mighty long trip to Peasley's and back." Mario remarked.

He knocked back the glass and set it on the wooden table. Then he drummed his finger atop the cup's rim. Neither Daisy nor I said anything yet. Mario glanced between us.

"How did it go?" He asked.

Daisy replied, "We got information from Peasley about a possible ally. We didn't return here, we sought this ally out instead. He wasn't much help, but his enforcer was."

That was clever of her, leaving King Boo out of it. But she had no need to. The irascible ghost was my arch foe, not Mario's. And by the looks of things around here, I don't think Mario would've had any qualms about working with an enemy anymore.

Mario looked at Ludwig and frowned. "Who've we got here? Aren't you, uh, Bowser's son?"

Ludwig smirked cryptically and muttered, "Might as well be."

My brother didn't hear that. Or he didn't acknowledge it, but I did. I thought Ludwig and his siblings _were_ Bowser's kids. Apparently not. It irked me a little bit to know that my brother had recognized Ludwig right off the bat when it had taken me a couple of days. But anyway, it intrigued me, what Ludwig said. Did that mean he and Bowser were close?

Mario asked Ludwig, "So what are you doing with King Boo?"

"That's hardly your concern." Ludwig sniffed.

"Whatever," Mario scoffed in turn, "So can you help get my Peach out of there?"

Ludwig said, "Perhaps."

I was starting to wonder why Ludwig was being so vague. To say he'd been in a hurry, now he seemed to be playing games with my brother. And Mario was already in a bad mood, that wasn't wise.

"What's your plan?" Mario asked brusquely.

"It's simple," Ludwig claimed, "Work from the inside to destroy him."

My brother replied in a deadpan, "Could you elaborate, Mastermind?"

"No." Ludwig refused. "That's all you need to know."

And he walked out of the room.

Well, he phased through the wall but still. He left without another word. I shared a look with Daisy and then another with my brother. Mario was not impressed.

"Luigi," He frowned, "Where did you find this guy?"

"With King Boo." I told him.

Mario shook his head. "I don't trust him."

Daisy said, "Neither do we but he's our only chance of getting the princess free from King Bowser."

I said wryly, "Unless you've made progress with your shady friends?"

Mario gave me a sour look and said, "Just be careful, you two. That kid used to be real tight with Bowser. This might be a set-up."

But his words were shallow ones. He did know the risk involved but I could tell he hardly cared, so long as Peach was rescued. He'd send us out on a limb if it meant having her back safe in his arms. The only reason he wasn't going was because Bowser had threatened him, and because he had a kingdom to run and protect.

* * *

Ludwig was at the bottom of the steps, waiting for Daisy and I to leave the palace. I didn't think twice before laying into him.

"You shouldn't have stormed out like that," I said.

"I had nothing further to say." the enforcer stated.

"Keeping everything secret isn't the best way to get people to trust you." I told him.

Ludwig sneered, "I don't give a damn if you and your brother trust me or not. You're the ones begging _me_ for help."

"No one's _begging_ you." I frowned.

It took a lot not to add the 'asshole' to the end of that sentence like I wanted to. But civility called for its omission. I hated his attitude but I would hold my tongue. For now. But there'd come a day where I wouldn't be able to put up with him anymore. Hopefully that day wouldn't be soon in coming.

"Are we finished here?" Ludwig asked impatiently.

I didn't say anything. I didn't trust myself not to cuss him out. But Daisy spoke to him.

"Actually," She said, "I want to stop by my home."

Ludwig replied, "You don't need to bring anything."

"I want to tell my cousins goodbye." She insisted.

He rolled his eyes but gestured for her to lead the way. Daisy must have sensed the tension because she took my hand and made sure to stay in between Ludwig and me. We passed the marketplace. It looked so dead. There were hardly any people around and those who were outside were moving quickly and quietly. A lot of shops were closed up, even with it being early evening.

Daisy's was one of them.

When we got to her place, Daisy knocked and one of her cousins let us in. The oldest one, Danny. He gazed worriedly at her, then warily at me and Ludwig. The enforcer's face remained clear and unreadable. Danny reluctantly stepped over to let us all inside.

"What's going on?" He asked Daisy.

Daisy had no sooner shut the door than said, "Luigi, Ludwig; I need to be alone with my cousins, okay?"

I nodded and Ludwig did, too. We both stood near the door, not speaking to the other, while Daisy led her cousin to one of the back rooms.

* * *

"I'll be going away," Daisy said softly, "I don't know for how long."

She sat on the bed of her cousins' room and appeared withdrawn. The truth was, she was incredibly anxious and was trying to keep such feelings at bay so as not to upset her cousins.

It wasn't working.

Meech looked so distraught it was almost comical. His brows were knitted and his lips scrunched over his open mouth. Daisy smiled at him and wrapped her arms around him. Like his older brother, he was standing across from her, but she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Don't you worry, Meech, I'll be back." She told him.

_Will I, though? _

She really didn't know. Being alone, working in the Dark King's castle with a creature as enigmatic as the evil Lord of the Badlands himself was a frightening prospect. But she'd endure.

"I want you two to keep running the shop while I'm gone," she instructed, "And look out for each other."

The brothers were still wearing those puzzled expressions. Their eyes were just imploring her to explain herself, to tell them exactly why she was leaving them in such a dire time for the kingdom.

"I'll be back," She said again. "So don't you two worry."

Danny was silent no longer. "Daisy, the princess. She's been taken."

She knew what he was implying. What if the same fate were to befall her? That was something she worried about, too. But she responded in a casual way, to set them both at ease.

"I know." She said, "That's why I want both of you to be careful."

Meech's voice shook when he asked, "Daisy, can't you take us with you?"

"No." She replied adamantly.

Daisy couldn't bear to think if anything were to happen to her two boys. She loved them with all her heart and would never drag them into something as dangerous as what she was about to get into.

She smiled disarmingly at Danny and said, "I'll be okay. I'm just taking care of something. Luigi will be with me."

That last part was a half-truth but upon mentioning the younger plumber brother, Danny did relax a bit. In truth, he did trust Luigi to a great extent. Even he could see that the man loved his cousin. Daisy hated to lie but was glad she could reassure them. She stood and embraced them both.

"I'll be back," She repeated, "I love you both and I'll see you soon."

Meech started to shake.

So did her resolve.

_Am I doing the right thing? Maybe I should leave all this alone. Maybe I should take my cousins and go back home to rule over our kingdom. It would be the right thing to do. Take up responsibility and be there for my people. _

She was having a moment of doubt and was glad that her cousins were hugging her, distracted and unaware of the emotions playing like a film over her face. She wasn't ready for this; she wasn't ready to take down the Dark King, the very epitome of all that was evil and bad in the world.

_But at least I have a choice, _she realized, _Princess Peach didn't. She's been taken with no way back home. All I have to do is hitch up a horse and leave. I can't just abandon her. She took me in when I needed refuge, even if she doesn't know it. _

Daisy set her heart against the tears that tried to come out. She wouldn't cry. She would be strong. For her cousins and for the princess.

_Whatever I must do, I'll do it, _she vowed. _Ludwig (as unpleasant as he is) seems to know what he's talking about. And I have Luigi with me. _

Daisy smiled against her cousins' heads.

_Luigi truly is an admirable man. Even though he hated being there at King Boo's mansion, he endured all the jokes and humiliation because he cares about the princess. I have to follow his example. _

* * *

Daisy was still somber from her goodbyes, I noticed. She hadn't spoken since we'd left her place and arrived back at the base. We'd been her a good half hour now. Ludwig was in the back of the facility, speaking with his 'treasures'. I had no clue why he called his brothers and sister that. Maybe he had a soft side.

_Not likely _

Whatever he was doing, he was taking his sweet time about it. Daisy and I were on the couch in the living area. She had only her small bag and I had the one Mario gave us. It still had some valuable things in there, like the dagger and the flashlight and the blanket, money, and some food and water. I figured then that Daisy might need it more than me. I nudged her, intent on giving the bag to her.

She lifted her head for the first time and I saw that she was near tears. I dropped the bag at my feet, stood, and pulled her into my arms. It was all I could think to do. I didn't like seeing her like that, with her bottom lip trembling and her eyes all wet. She was fighting something, and obviously losing.

"Hey, it's alright." I whispered.

She shook in my arms and held me tighter. I think it's all beginning to get to her. It was getting to me, too, but I was just good at keeping calm. I rubbed the small of her back and kissed the top of her head. I didn't know what else to say that wasn't a lie so I just held her. Her bout of weakness didn't last long. She soon pulled back and wiped her eyes.

"Luigi, I'm sorry." She breathed.

I cupped her cheek and said, "Sorry for what? Crying? This is scary stuff, Daisy. It's alright to, I mean, it's good to let it out."

She gazed at me in a strange way then, like she was trying to see something about me that she had been told about but had never really seen for herself 'til now. And when her light eyes cleared again and she smiled a watery smile, I knew she'd found whatever she was looking for. Then she kissed me.

But I was going to do the same thing anyway.

This kiss was different than our first kiss, that shy uncertain thing. It wasn't like that kiss at Bowser's palace, though; there was a distinct absence of lust. It was something neither of us was in control of. It was as lost and confused a kiss as the both of us felt at the moment. It was good. It was sad. It was...

Interrupted.

"Ahem."

There was Ludwig again.

"It's time we leave," He said.

Damn him.

I hugged Daisy to me and told her, "Be careful around him. And take care of yourself."

"I will," She whispered, "I love you."

"Yeah," I said, "I love you too. I'll see you in a week."

Daisy seemed glad to hear that. It made parting ways a little easier. But not by much. I let her go and she floated over to Ludwig, her eyes never leaving mine. She seemed to be somewhere else, somewhere out of space and time with me. And so long as we locked eyes we could stay there.

But Ludwig broke her focus.

I blinked and touched my mouth. I had this feeling that if I closed my eyes and thought hard enough, I could feel Daisy's lips atop them again. But I didn't do that. I faced Ludwig and watched him guide Daisy towards the hall that led to the hatch. Before he left, he turned his wrist and conjured a paper manual. He gave it to me.

"In here," He explained, "Is all you need to know about your job. Enjoy."

I rolled my eyes and watched them go. Somewhere, in another part of the 'house', I heard a little kid's scream.

* * *

**A/N: And that's this chapter folks! Please review and tell me how you feel about the story so far! As you can tell, things have lightened up a bit but there is more darkness to come, so be warned. **

**On another note, is the pairing what you expected? As in, did you really think Daisy was gonna be stuck babysitting? I hope you guys like things better this way because now we can see how Luigi handles taking care of Ludwig's treasures :) And speaking of that, why do you guys think he calls them that? **

**There are more surprises up ahead so please stay tuned! And again, reviews would be great, I just love hearing all of your opinions and reactions! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	23. Chapter 23

**Thanks for all the faves, reviews, and alerts everybody!**

****I changed a bit of grammar/spelling stuff, and I put Lemmy as seven instead of four****

**Thanks to Walkazo for pointing that out :) He has to be older than Junior for uh, continuity purposes pertaining to the story. You'll see later on. Other than that...**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

* * *

The self-proclaimed Dark King was in a good mood.

An exceedingly good mood.

As he leaned against the desk in his study, he could feel the nerves in his body, his arms and legs, his fingers just shivering with excitement. He had a mile wide grin that put everyone around him on edge, namely the informants that came to him this morning bearing news.

"Tell me again, what happened?" Bowser chuckled.

One of the Koopas said tonelessly, "Troops from the Mushroom Kingdom were seen encroaching upon your lands, Majesty."

"And?" The king prompted.

The Koopa stated, "The lot of them were slaughtered."

"Excellent!" Bowser boomed over his laughter.

While he continued to laugh mirthfully, the guards shifted uncomfortably. When the king was angry, they knew to steer clear of him. When he was in such good spirits, well, he _rarely was_ so they didn't know how to behave around him. They were used to him being so harsh and hateful all the time, but ever since the crown prince's ceremony, the royal's mood had improved more and more.

Bowser pushed himself off of the desk and chuckled once more.

_So the plumber's sent forces, eh? Predictable. Things just keep getting better and better, _he mused.

"Assemble my entourage," He ordered, "It's time I pay CandyCorn Kingdom another visit."

* * *

_It's not going to get any longer no matter how much I pull, _Peach knew.

That didn't stop her from tugging at the hem of her so-called dress, though. She didn't like that it only reached the top of her thigh at best. When she didn't have her hands on it, the thing rode up even higher. It made her feel dirty wearing such a scandalous garment, but she'd hardly had a choice in the matter. The servants had come in this morning and had put it on her, along with the sheer white thigh-highs and matching heels. Those servants had also done her hair and makeup, which was nice. Peach always did enjoy looking her best and they'd seen to that: there were jewels in her hair, styled around her honey-colored up-do stylishly. They'd only used a small amount of makeup, though, just some color on her lips and eyes. They had done a great job but the princess still felt so exposed in these clothes.

_Even the gloves are too short, _she lamented.

Instead of to the elbow, like she was used to, these thin things stopped at her wrists. She wrung her hands and looked at the jewelry on the bathroom counter. It was the only thing the servants hadn't taken care of. She put her earrings in her ears carefully and then tried to clasp the matching diamond necklace. It gave her trouble.

Peach gazed straight ahead, into the mirror but not at her eyes. Her big blue eyes were too full of dejection and sadness for her to stare at them for too long. She looked instead at the sweetheart-style neckline of her lace white dress. Thankfully it curved into cap sleeves and didn't expose any cleavage, surprisingly. The diamond necklace was more of a choker and rested just below her throat.

_Or it would, if I could get it to clasp, _she frowned.

She had a hunch that her problem could be attributed to the vanilla-scented lotion that coated her skin, including her fingers. Or it could be that her manicured nails were preventing her from getting a solid grip on the tiny chain links.

Suddenly a larger pair of hands took control and easily hitched the two ends together. Peach froze upon seeing the king's visage reflected in the mirror behind her.

_Where did he come from? How come I didn't hear him approaching? _Peach wracked her mind but those thoughts became obsolete when the king in question closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms round her waist. Peach trembled in the royal's arms as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

Bowser kissed her temple and murmured, "Morning, Princess."

Peach was silent. She was trying to remember to breathe at the moment and felt even dirtier because of it, the way her body was reacting to being this close. Bowser was practically molded against her and she knew in her heart that this wasn't the worst feeling.

_What is wrong with me, _she thought dismally.

"Damn, you're so beautiful," He whispered, and then kissed her cheek.

Peach swallowed hard and shut her eyes. She tried her hardest to ignore him, to shut him out. But then his lips moved from her temple down her jawline and she got weak. _  
_

"S-stop," She stammered.

He immediately pulled back and laughed softly. "Alright, I'll stop. For now."

Bowser turned Peach by her hips to face him, then brought her closer still. She soon found that his hands were picking up where his mouth had left off; they moved slowly down her waist and over her bottom. She tensed.

"Please don't." Peach implored.

Again the king laughed but did as she wished. This was all a game for him and Peach did not appreciate it. She didn't like how he was toying with her as if he knew what his hands, his lips, his _voice alone _did to her. She was getting hot and still hadn't stopped trembling. Her heart was pounding but at the pit of her stomach, no just a bit lower, something was stirring and she didn't like it. Not once did Mario make her feel like this.

_And that's not a good thing, _She persuaded herself, _these feelings are sick, what he's doing to me is just sick and wrong! _

"Breakfast is downstairs," Bowser stated, "But you'll have to eat fast. We're leaving in ten minutes."

That startled the princess.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked warily.

The king grinned and declared, "To the temple, of course; today we're getting married."

"What?" Peach frowned.

He repeated himself and she looked even more crestfallen.

She protested, "No, you can't! You...you said that in a week,"

"I know what I said," He explained patiently, "But things have changed."

"That's not _fair!_" Peach cried.

Her voice broke and so did that duct's hold over the tears in her eyes. Consequently, tears began to fall.

_He lied! He lied again! _She was so angry, those tears were that of frustration and anger. It wasn't right for him to keep lying like this; was everything a lie, then? If she married him today, did that really mean he wouldn't attack her kingdom or had he lied about that, too?

"Don't be sad, Peaches," The king smirked, "After today, you'll see everything you've been missing."

* * *

_I haven't even been here a minute and already something's gone wrong. _

It was true. I was just sitting there on the couch when I heard the scream, definitely a little kid's scream. That couldn't be good. I hurried from the front room to the source of the noise, which happened to be the first bedroom on the left.

Inside the room was a set of bunk beds and two small boys. The one sitting on the top bunk was the one who'd screamed, he was still sobbing, and the one on the bottom bunk was just waking up.

"Who are you?" He asked me.

I said, "I'll tell you in a little while. Go get everybody and tell them to go to the front room."

That child did as I said and went to go round up the other kids. Meanwhile, I strode over the beige carpet and approached the crying boy. He was so small, about three or four years old, I'd say.

"Hey there." I spoke gently, "What's going on? Why are you crying?"

He almost didn't answer, but whispered nonetheless, "Bad dream."

"Oh." I remarked.

Well that was that. I didn't know what else to say. Comforting kids wasn't my forte. Luckily, the boy pulled himself together in the next instant. He wiped his face climbed down the side of his bunk expertly, then walked past me towards the front room. I followed him out.

The other child had worked fast; when I got back to the couch, there were several young faces there to greet me. Not a one of them enthusiastic, I noticed. All of them were in there pajamas and had either blonde or black hair and blue or green eyes.

_Definitely siblings, _I deduced, _But none of them look like Ludwig. _

"Who are you?"

"Where is Ludwig?"

"Why are you in our secret place?"

"What's that on your shirt?"

All these kids just started talking at once and it caught me by surprise. It was like one second the room was quiet and then boom: everyone just blurted out questions. I stood in front of where they'd squeezed either on the couch or the love seat and folded my arms.

"Alright, alright, listen." I silenced them. "My name is Luigi. Any of you, uh, remember that name by any chance?"

They all stared blankly back at me.

I took that as a no. So I guess they didn't remember me. Strange, considering Ludwig does. I guess because he was the oldest maybe?

"Okay then. Well yeah, I'm Luigi, and I'll be staying here with you all while Ludwig takes care of some business."

One of the older boys scoffed and said, "We don't need a babysitter."

"Obviously Ludwig thought you did or else I wouldn't be here," I replied flatly.

I knew teens, I used to be one and I do remember my high school days so this young man was nothing new to me. Upon hearing my response, he just rolled his green eyes and slouched back on the love seat.

_And we're gonna have some run-ins, _I could already tell.

"First things first," I began, "Let's uh, get to know each other."

"We already know each other," The same blonde kid said, "You're the only stranger."

The boy on the love seat next to him laughed as if that was the funniest joke ever. I frowned and ignored them. The next ten minutes was spent putting a name to each face. The process could have gone quicker if those two boys would keep their comments to themselves. Their names were Roy and Morton and they were the two oldest. Next was their sister Wendy at fifteen, then their brother Iggy at thirteen, and then Larry who was twelve, and Lemmy who was only seven. That was a shock seeing as Lemmy was so small. I had pegged him at no older than three or four earlier but apparently I'd been wrong.

Morton was a slightly-built boy of sixteen with short black hair, pale skin, and blue eyes. He was the one who kept laughing at everything Roy did.

Roy was sixteen as well, but he was the oldest. Tan-skinned and green-eyed, he also had short hair but his was blonde. Everything I said, he had something sarcastic to add to.

Wendy was the only girl.

That was all I'd garnered from being around them all for the first fifteen minutes of the day. I knew the more time I spent around them, the more I'd learn.

"Okay, so now that that's over, does anybody have any questions?" I asked.

"Yeah, I gotta question," Roy smirked, "When you gonna stop talking and start fixing us some eats?"

Morton chuckled predictably and the girl, Wendy, rolled her eyes.

_Those two are definitely gonna be a handful _

* * *

Even after the miserable turn her situation had taken, Peach could appreciate the small mercies in life. One such blessing was the fact that, in the royal coach, Bowser sat across from her and not directly next to her. She didn't think she could stand having him any closer than that. As it was, his long legs brushed against the tops of her knees. She sat at the edge of the bench and had her own legs turned facing the curtained door.

Steadily they rode on in the dim carriage, neither of the two saying a word. Peach was too consumed with holding herself together to speak. That, and she was highly upset at the king's latest treachery. Bowser didn't say a word because he really didn't have to. As always, his eyes spoke volumes for him. They roved over the princess thoroughly and with great anticipation.

_He's looking at me like I'm already his, _she observed uneasily.

Peach wrung her hands under his scrutiny. She never did mind being the center of attention, she was used to it, but this was just unnerving. Bowser wasn't even blinking, for goodness sakes!

The woman looked down into her lap and sighed. She knew she'd have to get used to new things if the king prevailed, such as his staring and his rather...intimate embraces. Like a soaked cloak, this revelation weighed on her shoulders heavily and made her hunch over even more. _I thought I had more time, _she bemoaned, _at least a week! But now he's marrying me today. How am I supposed to get out of this? I thought that I could stall until Mario arrived but now there's no time at all! Why is he doing this? It's just not fair at all. _

A part of her was hoping for some deus ex machina to spontaneously rescue her from her troubling predicament but she knew that would never happen.

The carriage abruptly stopped.

_Or would it? _She wondered incredulously.

No, the way Bowser was climbing out of the coach was too casual. He knew about this stop in the road. If it were really something unexpected, his temper was so short that he'd probably be barking at his horseman about the hold-up by now. The King was perfectly calm, though, even a little smug as he stood outside the carriage and reached for Peach's hand. She hesitantly took it and let him help her down as well. When she saw where they were, her heart stopped: now she understood why the ride had taken so long and why the king looked so smug.

"Surprised, Princess?" The Dark King asked.

He slipped an arm round Peach's waist, not that she noticed. Surprised was not the word for how she felt right then; she was utterly shocked. She felt as if her feet were rooted to the stony ground and her blood had turned to lead, encasing her muscles and reducing her to a state of total paralysis. The only thing still functioning well was her heart, and that was doing a little too well: the thing was hammering at full speed behind her rib cage. She was vaguely aware of her trembling hand coming up to hover over the spot but her thoughts were racing so fast she thought she might faint.

"What's going on?" She breathed, "I don't understand. Why have you brought me here? Is this where we're to be m-married?"

_No, _she thought frantically, _No, please no! He can't be **that **cruel, can he? _

Bowser kissed her cheek and said, "No; this is just a little detour."

Then the king led her up those familiar wide white steps where a group of guards stood at the ready. They parted for him upon their leader, their crown prince's, command. Bowser strode right past them then and stood before said prince, boldly holding Peach at his side.

"..._You filthy bastard," _The prince growled.

Peach felt something cold and irony grip her insides upon hearing the hateful tone and words come from her former fiance's mouth. She had never heard him speak that way before in all her years of knowing him.

_Maybe I don't really know him after all, _She thought despondently.

Mario's words did nothing to faze the king, however. In fact, they made him smirk as if he'd been complimented. Bowser tilted his head and started to move his fingers idly against Peach's hip, making her tense. This time Mario noticed and turned bright red with anger.

"If I didn't know any better," Bowser drawled, "I'd say you knew I was dropping by."

Mario scoffed and said, "My men saw you coming miles before you even got here."

"Ah, yes. Your men." Bowser remarked in a wistful tone, "You must have plenty of them to spare if you can afford to pull stunts like the one you did this morning."

At that Mario paled and lost some of his fire. Peach tried to catch his attention but he wouldn't meet her eyes.

Shame.

That was what he was exhibiting; but why? That's what Peach couldn't figure out. What were they alluding to? Did something happen? Yes, that had to be the case. She knew it was something important and that she couldn't remain out of the loop.

She asked with trepidation, "What happened this morning?"

Most of her trepidation came from her really not wanting to know, deep down. She could tell it wasn't anything good if Mario couldn't even look her in the face. Bowser grinned at that. He did seem to love whenever there was dissension between the former couple.

He chuckled and stated, "I wanted your lover to be the one to tell you, but since the dear plumber won't, I will; Your darling here sent troops to my kingdom and my border guards tore them apart."

Peach clapped a hand over her mouth. Startled, horrified tears sprang up in her eyes. She looked to Mario and couldn't keep the betrayal from her tone and face.

"You didn't!" She accused, "Mario, you didn't!"

He glanced at his feet bitterly.

That was like a slap in the face, this news. All her efforts were to preserve her people, everything she'd done was for the benefit of her kingdom. And now to learn that, amidst her sacrifices, troops had died? She could hardly fault Mario for sending them after her, it only spoke of his love for her, but it still broke her heart to know that this had happened. Bowser kissed the top of her head and she started to shake. She was trying not to break down. Mario saw the king's kiss, as the king intended him to, and was duly enraged. He tried to rush out and grab Peach but Bowser's men blocked his way.

"Let her go!" Mario bellowed.

Bowser smirked and replied, "Hm. By all means."

Then the Dark King released Peach and gestured with a sweep of his arm: he was giving her permission to leave him, to just go to Mario. Peach stood stock-still. She was flabbergasted.

_What is he up to? Is this another of his mind games? _She thought in panic. She glanced at Mario, who was also looking pretty wary. He had his hand blatantly at his hip, gripping the hilt of one of his weapons. Peach then gazed up at Bowser. The king had his arms folded and lifted a brow.

"Well go on, now." He prompted, "Go and be with your lover. This is your last chance, Princess."

Peach blinked rapidly and then reached down to pick up her skirts before realizing she had none. Suddenly she was self-conscious; she'd never worn something so revealing around Mario and wondered briefly if he thought less of her for it. But that thought was errant. She made up her mind to seize this opportunity and started to take baby steps towards Mario. After her fourth one, Bowser's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Keep in mind, Princess; our agreement still stands."

And with that her body sagged with the weight of all her hopes crashing down on top of her. Of course. _Of course! _She knew the King wasn't being magnanimous: he did say that if she were to return to Mario, his armies would be at her Kingdom. She whipped around and glared at the king for all she was worth, and he laughed at her brazen anger. She deflated then, and felt her legs about to give out on her. _Why would he do this? Why give me the choice, why lead me on, why make me think..._

"Peach, what's going? What's he talkin' about?" Mario demanded.

Peach was crying again. She didn't care if it made her look weak, this little trick had really gotten to her. She had actually thought that she may be going back home. And she was right there, Mario was _right there! _But she couldn't go to him. If she did, she'd be damning her country and already people had been killed.

"Come on!" Mario beckoned her from his place behind Bowser's guards.

She whispered, "I...I can't."

"What are you waitin' for!" Mario cried, "Come on!"

He just couldn't fathom what was going on. There Peach was, free and able to walk the five or six steps it would take to get to his waiting arms and yet she stood there, not moving. Bowser was off to the side, looking utterly pleased with himself but not inhibiting her in any way. It didn't make sense to the Brooklyn native. He set his mouth in a scowl and got set to run. If she wasn't gonna come to him, he'd come to her. Mario tried to bolt past Bowser's entourage but the Koopas were stronger than they looked: the four of them held him back quite adequately while he jerked and struggled to get to his love.

"Peach, what's going on? Let me go, you creeps!" Mario shouted.

Bowser stepped over to Peach and murmured, "Very good, Princess."

His hands were around her once more as he pulled her back against his chest. Her grief at the situation rendered her much more compliant than usual.

"As you can see," The Dark King called to Mario, "I'm not forcing her to do anything."

_Yes he is! He is! _Peach insisted this within her mind. Her tongue was hot and thick in her mouth, though, so the words never made it. That passionate part of her that wanted to let Mario know this was a trap laid carefully for her would never get to say its piece. All her protestations were stuck in her throat. Like sweat tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped down her chin. She couldn't remember the last time she'd cried so much.

"The Princess has chosen her fate." Bowser continued to gloat.

Mario locked eyes with the weeping woman wrapped in the king's arms and that's when he knew. He saw in those eyes the fear and frustration and pain and it tipped him off to what was really going on. He stopped fighting his assailants and stepped backwards, his own eyes dawning with understanding. That comforted Peach in the tiniest of ways, knowing that he understood her plight.

Bowser signaled to his men and they flanked him once more. The king had no more trouble from Mario as he ushered Peach back to the coach. She glanced back at him one last time and found the resolve all over his countenance. That gave her hope. She just prayed that Mario would do the right thing and watch over her people, make sure that Bowser's armies never made it to them. That was most important. If he did something rash, this would all be in vain.

Inside the carriage, Bowser thankfully took up his seat across from her again. She felt numb against the smooth, polished wood bench. She felt cold and detached and empty. This was it. She was not going back home and Mario was not going to save her. She was stuck in the clutches of the Dark King.

"I'd say that went rather well," Bowser grinned.

Peach felt all the hopelessness, the consternation and impotence at the situation embolden her.

In a clear voice she told him, "You. Are pure. Evil._" _

"Damn right I am." He smirked.

* * *

Ludwig really did a lot to make my job easy. That was something I didn't expect. I guess he did it because he knew these kids would be hard enough to deal with on their own without worrying what to feed them and stuff like that. I found that the fridge was well stocked and the whole kitchen was clean, state-of-the-art, and mainly stainless steel. It was like being at a flat in the better part of Queens. Nice, neat, easy to get around. I ended up taking out some instant pancake mix and a third of a dozen eggs. Spices, seasoning, utensils, everything: it was all arranged in the cabinets or in drawers neatly. Ludwig was incredibly organized. But like I said, doing this wasn't the hard part.

It was the kids.

They were all at the kitchen table, all six of them. Roy and Morton were up to their shenanigans once more. While I scrambled the eggs and kept an eye on the pancakes in the skillet, he kept making remarks and beating on the table.

"Come on, man, how long does it take to fix us some eats?" He griped, "Ludwig never took this long."

_Well I'm not Ludwig, you brat. And he probably uses his magic to speed things along. _

I just ignored him though. But then Morton started up. I found out the hard way that this kid liked to talk. A lot.

"Yeah, he never did take this long," Morton commented, "Never. Not once. Ever. He was always quick, speedy, fast, rapid. To the point, no slow-business at all-"

"Would you shut up?"

I turned at the sound of the light, feminine voice. Apparently Wendy didn't appreciate her brother's chattiness either.

Morton retorted, "You shut up!"

"Shut up is a bad word," the smallest one, Lemmy, said.

Roy scoffed. "Nobody asked you, Pipsqueak."

The tall, skinny one with glasses, Iggy, said, "Don't pick on him."

"Mind your own business, Brainiac," Roy then sneered.

"Hey, break it up." I called out to them.

From what I've seen, Roy is a bully to his siblings and Morton is his right-hand man. I tried to hurry up and finish cooking but you really can't rush pancakes. So before I was done they were going at it again. Soon when I was done and had everybody served, I leaned against the counter and observed them. Other than a few fights over the syrup, they were pretty quiet while eating. All of them had good table manners, too. Whatever Ludwig was teaching them, it obviously set in.

Roy ate the fastest. He was a muscular sort of sixteen-year old with the 'jock' look going on. His hair was cut short like a mowed lawn, like his brother Morton, and his eyes were a deep, dark green. When he was done, he reclined in his seat and shot a smirk to his brother Morton. Morton, however, was busy chowing down. He never moved his navy eyes from his plate. He had thicker eyebrows than Roy and where Roy had blonde hair, Morton had black.

Larry also had black hair, as did Iggy, but theirs was longer and fell in waves to their chin. Lemmy, the littlest, had this sort of hair but was blonde. The three of them seemed to be speaking with their eyes, sharing glances and smiles as if relaying some private joke. The other blonde and only girl, Wendy, was caught between a girl and young woman. At fifteen, I'm sure she was just coming into her own. She had long, thick golden-colored hair that reminded me of a certain captive princess and light blue, currently downcast eyes. I noticed that the girl was hardly eating, though. The way she cut daintily at her dry pancake and only nibbled at her eggs had me concerned.

"Something wrong, Wendy?" I asked her, "You've hardly eaten anything."

She paused in her methodical cutting and shook her head. I shrugged. Maybe this was normal behavior for her. One of her younger brothers, Larry, spoke on the matter further.

"She's on a diet," He said matter-of-factly.

Lemmy added, "Yeah, she's always on a diet."

"Be quiet," She hissed at them.

I raised a brow but didn't say anything. That wasn't unusual in a young girl. In fact, none of these kids were unusual. They looked and acted like a regular group of brothers and sisters. I knew that I couldn't judge them just yet. Who knew what these kids were capable of; if Bowser and Junior still had some of their abilities after being hit with the curse...

_But let me just stop right there _

Who's to say they were hit with the curse? Bowser and Junior had altered bodies and horns. These kids just looked like kids and didn't retain any of the physical attributes I used to see on them. If they were Koopas like Bowser, the curse should've affected them in the same way. Or maybe it affected everybody in different ways?

_I wish Peasley was here; I could use his expertise _

After breakfast, Wendy cleared the table and then shuffled over to the sink to do the dishes without me saying a word. I didn't feel right making her do them since she'd eaten the least out of everybody, including Lemmy.

_**Especially** Lemmy, _I thought wryly.

He might have been tiny but he cleaned his plate just like the rest of his brothers. Anyway, I moved over to where Wendy was already fixing the dishwater and tried to stop her.

"Hey you don't have to uh," I started, "I mean, I got this."

She said softly, "It's fine. Today's my day to do the dishes. We have a schedule, see."

I looked to where she was pointing and saw the white paper taped to the fridge. Indeed it was a schedule, laying out all the kids' duties for the week. It listed who did what and when. Very convenient.

"Oh. Cool." I said, "So what does Ludwig do with you guys all day?"

Wendy shrugged, "He's gone most of the time, but when he isn't, he just lets us do whatever we want."

I nodded in understanding and went over to the couch. I sat down and figured this might not be so bad. These kids might be a little much, but it wouldn't be anything I couldn't handle. I was sure of it. That gave me plenty of room to wonder about Daisy, and if she was having an easy time too. Probably not. I tried not to think of what she could be going through, being alone with Ludwig and all. That guy mainly did what he did to get under my skin, so she might be safe seeing as I'm not around to see his advances on her.

* * *

**A/N: Shorter chapter but you know the deal, that happens when I haven't updated in a while. Please don't hesitate to review, that's what made me start back writing again :) **

**We'll see what happens with Peach and her soon-to-be husband and also catch up with Daisy and Ludwig. **

**How do you guys like the kids? There's a lot about them that isn't what it seems and I plan on going into detail with their personalities, it's fun! So stay tuned...**

**~DymondGold~**


	24. Chapter 24

**If you haven't noticed by now, Harry Potter has influenced this fiction in that that's where I got the idea for the title and for the Composition Curse, and some other things that will come later on. **

**So I guess I should put a disclaimer for that too, huh? **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. And any Harry Potter reference/theme/idea belongs to that talented lady JK Rowling. **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

* * *

"Why are we here?"

It was a legitimate question. Daisy was genuinely confused as to why Ludwig had teleported them to the dead center of Chai Kingdom. The place was as she'd last seen it, remarkably. There were no signs of destruction, death, or ruin like she'd heard had been taking place in other parts of Sarasaland. But now that she thought about it, Chai Kingdom had always been the most stringent sector of her homeland. The laws were tighter, the people more reserved and diligent as a whole. If any of the four regions were strong enough to withstand Tatanga's influence, it would definitely be Chai Kingdom.

The fact that she and Ludwig were here, however, when they were supposed to be taking down the Dark King was still a mystery. Daisy regarded her temporary partner in the noon-day light. He was surveying the area with a wistful, but calculating, look in his eyes. It was like looking at somebody with a million things running through their head all at once. Suddenly Ludwig turned those brilliant green eyes onto her and her breath hitched. She wasn't prepared for that abrupt attention to be all on her.

"This is where we'll be proceeding with the first phase of our operation," He informed her.

Now Daisy was even more confused, but she held her questions at bay for now; Ludwig had started walking. He had a confident gait about him: back straight, head held high, no backwards glances to see if she was following. It was as if he expected her to come with him without any provocation.

_Talk about arrogant, _she thought to herself bemusedly.

She followed nonetheless and walked through the cobbled stone pathways. Even though Chai was still rural in some aspects, it had the most industry of all four regions as well with the presence of many buildings and facilities. She noticed that most of the shops and vendors weren't open and looked like they hadn't been for quite some time.

_I can't say I don't know why that is, _she mused.

"In here," Ludwig instructed.

He guided her by the space in between her shoulder blades up to the entrance of a local inn. She remembered the place, but only vaguely. She hadn't been able to get out of the palace as much as she liked to back when she was home. Once inside, Ludwig spoke quietly with the man behind the front counter and paid for a room. He was handed the keys and then escorted Daisy back outside, around the building, and up three flights of steps. The balcony walkway led to their room at the far right end. Ludwig unlocked the door and held it open for her.

"Thank you," She said out of habit.

Ludwig tipped his head at her and shut the door behind himself. Daisy looked around appreciatively. The room was small and simplistic but cozy for Chai's uptight standards. Decorated in warm browns, beiges, and gold, it had windows on either side of the door with honey-yellow curtains. There was light tan carpeting and a single, full-sized bed decked out in brown and gold linen. Beside the bed was the staple oak nightstand and a shiny brass lamp. Besides a giant framed painting, the walls were bare and light colored. There was a table and chair in the corner next to the door and along that same wall was a bathroom. Now that was also no surprise; being the most advanced of the regions, Chai was one of the first places to integrate the plumbing trend that had spread from the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Sit down on the bed," Ludwig instructed, "we need to discuss our plan of action."

Usually Daisy would protest being ordered around but this was no time for such behavior. Ludwig said he'd help so he was in charge. She could accept that. Wordlessly she crossed the carpet and sank down onto the soft sheets, smoothing her dress down beneath her thighs as she sat. Ludwig paced the floor in front of her.

"Phase one will take about a week to enact, and it involves the both of us. Phase two," he continued, "involves me but is mostly just you."

"What about Phase three?" Daisy asked.

"There is no phase three."

"Oh." She murmured, "So what do I have to do in Phase two?"

Ludwig told her, "That's when you get inside and bring down the king."

_He says it like it's easy, _She thought.

Aloud she asked, "And what is Phase one?"

"That's where I coach you on how to go about executing Phase Two."

Daisy swallowed nervously. "And you'll only be doing that for a week?"

"A week is all you need." He explained simply.

"What will _you_ be doing while I'm uh, executing Phase Two?" She wanted to know.

Ludwig stopped pacing and stood still in front of her. He let his mouth relax out of the straight, solemn line and curl into a light smirk. His eyes bore into hers as he regarded her question. After a moment he spoke again in a careful, measured tone.

"Daisy," he stated, "in order for this operation to work, I'll need you to trust me."

"I trust you." She replied immediately.

_If I didn't, I wouldn't be here, _she figured. Ludwig didn't seem so convinced.

"Do you really?" Ludwig asked her intensely.

"Yes."

"How much?"

"What do you mean?"

"How much do you trust me?"

"I don't-"

Ludwig sighed impatiently and asked, "Do you trust me enough to sign your kingdoms over to me?"

"Hu-What?" She blurted.

Daisy didn't mean to sound so uncultured, but that had caught her off guard. What did he mean, sign her kingdoms over to him? That was crazy! Why on Earth would she do that? How would that help matters?

"There is a legal document," Ludwig began, "that I have contrived for the very purpose of ensuring that this operation runs smoothly."

Daisy waited for him to go on.

"This document states that you, the last of the Sarasaland monarchy, have given your lands over to me to rule as I see fit and to remain on the throne so long as the people shall have me."

After elucidating on the topic, Ludwig conjured the document in question and also a dripping quill for her to sign it with. Daisy felt a bit overwhelmed.

"Ludwig, this wasn't part of our agreement," She protested, "I can't just _give _you the rights of my kingdoms. I...I barely even know you!"

_And besides, I'm not the last of the monarchy. My cousins aren't direct descendants but they're still in line for the throne._

With a testy set to his lips, the enforcer made the quill and parchment vanish and folded his arms.

"Let me break things down for you, Princess." He said flatly, "There are three ways to get you inside the old Dark King's palace: One, as a prisoner, but there's a high chance you'll be killed since the king isn't in the habit of keeping them around."

"Ouch." Daisy muttered.

"The second way would be to send you through the royal harem, but again that's pretty risky. First you'd have to be caught by his slavers and then hope to God that they'd cart you to the palace and not to some shady little whorehouse that pays them better."

Daisy shuddered at that and whispered, "The third option?"

"Hm. Oh yes. The third way would be to get you in there as a maid."

The girl shifted on the bed and said warily, "That...doesn't sound too bad?"

She really didn't know what to think since all of his previous ideas had been so disastrous and unfortunate. Ludwig smirked at her hesitance.

"It isn't." He affirmed. "So while you're on the inside getting information, I'll be king of Sarasaland, building up your armies to stand against the bastard. Together we'll stage an attack that hits him from both the interior and exterior; understand now?"

Daisy nodded slowly. She was indeed starting to get it. But she didn't know if she wanted to just give up her kingdom to Ludwig.

_But then again, I was willing to let those generals who'd stopped Tatanga rule so why not Ludwig? He seems to know what he's doing, and he's on my side, and he'll help stop Bowser. Bowser has to be stopped, too. He may be hurting Peach and soon it may be too late to do anything. _

That made up Daisy's mind, if nothing else did.

_I have to do this, for the Princess' sake. _

* * *

The wedding was swift and direct, and Peach remained silent through it all. The temple was, in actuality, the king's study. In the cluttered office she stood with the loathsome Dark King at her side, listening to one of his magicians recite to him key terms of the written document. She noticed that none of the terms applied to nor benefited her; they were all legal stipulations to keep her chained at his side. She still couldn't believe this was happening, that her fate was being sealed with each utterance of the ancient advisor's words.

_So this is it, then, _she thought despondently.

Different scenarios began to play out in her head regarding her life from this point on, and what it would be like. The common factor in each vision was that she remained enslaved. Perhaps the king would hold to his word and leave the Mushroom Kingdom alone. Perhaps her sacrifice would not be in vain. Peach desperately hoped this would be the case because she had already given up so much up to now, and in the future she knew there was only more misery to come for her. That misery would be bearable if she knew her home and people were safe, however.

"Princess, if you would?"

The words made Peach blink rapidly and focus her light eyes onto those of the magician in front of her. She looked at the quill being proffered at her and then down at the bottom of the parchment. It would appear he needed her signature.

_It's not too late, _she thought in a panic, _I could refuse now and go back home to Mario and..._

Slowly but with resolve Peach dragged the ink-filled utensil across the paper, scraping out her name in flawless script. She wouldn't be weak, not now. She had to do what's right. Just because it was a risk to trust the king didn't mean she could back out and face certain consequences. As soon as she finished looping the final 'L' on her last name, the quill and still-wet parchment 'poofed' out of existence and everyone cleared out of the room. The magician and the necessary four witnesses, that is. She was left alone with the silent king and she couldn't say she wasn't nervous.

"Now what?" She chanced to speak.

Bowser was dressed in a plain pair of white pants, the harem-style ones with the wide waistband and satin texture. Not a piece of fabric covered the rest of his body, so she was met with the sight of his bare, broad chest. Until he folded his arms over it, that is. Bowser pushed himself off the desk he'd been leaning against and sauntered towards her. It was instinctive, that step backwards she took in response. It did nothing against him wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in close. He chuckled because she'd tensed like he knew she would, and that fear in her eyes was raw and uncertain and so very alluring to him.

"Now you're mine."

* * *

There wasn't much to this babysitting job. Most of the kids were in their rooms, keeping to themselves. Wendy was in the kitchen working on her chore, and the youngest was sitting in the front room with me playing a game that reminded me of Jenga. There were long, slender rectangular blocks that we each had to take turns pulling out without making the entire structure fall. I had a few close calls but was still in the running. Lemmy, however, was a pro at this. He was managing to pluck out the blocks from the most precarious positions with the utmost ease.

_Making me look like a chump, _I thought in amusement.

The boy was incredibly intelligent from what I could tell. He was curious and observant, too. Those sharp light green eyes and wavy blonde hair was all that set him apart from Bowser Junior, and of course the age difference of a couple years. Other than that, though, they were a lot alike in that they both had a ton of energy and much to say. At first Lemmy was a bit shy, coming over to where I was resting on the couch to invite me to play this game. After a few minutes of quiet play, his bashfulness had worn off.

"What's your name again?" Had been his first question.

The first of many, I soon found.

I told him, "Luigi."

"Oh. Okay." He'd nodded, "Where you from?"

"Brooklyn."

"Where is that at?"

"In New York."

"Where is New York?"

"In America."

"Where is that?"

"Far away."

I didn't mean to be short, but interrogations weren't my thing. However, that didn't keep him abated for long.

"What is it like in A Miracle?" the boy asked.

"Huh?"

"What is it like where you're from?" he elucidated.

I thought about it. I didn't want to bring emphasis to all the less-than-perfect aspects of it, so I recounted my early life with Mario back in Brooklyn instead of at my apartment.

"It's okay." I answered slowly.

Lemmy smiled, "You going back there?"

"Someday," I told him.

_At least I think I am. Right now, with all that's going on, I don't know for sure. _

"You got any brothers and sisters?" The child asked.

I replied, "Yeah. A brother."

"That's all?"

"Yup."

"He's bigger than you or littler than you?"

"Bigger."

"You like him?"

"Yeah."

_Most of the time_

Now here I decided to turn the tables. Since he liked to talk so much, I'd get to know about him.

"What about you, Lemmy?"

"What _about_ me?" He chirped.

I asked, "Do you like your older brothers and sister?"

The boy rolled his eyes up towards the ceiling and pouted his mouth. That question seemed to calm him a bit.

"Um, sometimes." He admitted. "Roy and MJ always pick on me but Wendy is nice mostly and Larry is fun and Iggy um, he always says I am too small to help him with his inventions."

I smiled genuinely while he spoke. The boy could really jabber on once he got started, but that was a good thing. I was glad to see him opening up. Maybe I did have a thing for kids, I mean, maybe I really was good with them. This is the second instance where this has happened. I used to not like them all that much, but they're okay I guess.

"You don't have to play with him."

Wendy had finished her dishes and was standing near the precipice of the kitchen and dining room. She had her hands on her hips and her head tilted.

"I know," I replied to her.

She lifted a brow at that but said nothing else on her way to her room. Before she shut the door, I caught a faint sound of music, something light and 'pop'ish. I wonder how that was; I then wondered how a lot of things here were, like the fridge, stove, and other appliances that obviously used electricity. This bunker was modern and utilized technology, but how?

Suddenly the tower collapsed.

"Larry!"

It wasn't Lemmy that had done it, he hadn't slipped in his above average playing and finally messed up. No, his older brother Larry had chucked a red ball right at the tower and was now laughing at his misdeed. Lemmy threw the ball right back at him, aiming for his face, but Larry effortlessly plucked the ball right out of the air as it sailed over his head. He then proceeded to do a number of tricks like spin it on his index finger and roll it behind his neck and shoulders from one hand to the other.

_So we've got a jock in the building._

"Let's play ball," He declared.

Lemmy started picking up the fallen blocks and shook his head. From the floor he shot one at his brother. Larry caught that, too. Lemmy had horrible aim.

"We're already playing something," The youngest child argued.

Larry said, "Well this is more funner."

"No it's not." Lemmy frowned.

"Yeah it is!" Larry insisted, "Monkey in the middle; come on!"

"No." Lemmy remained adamant.

I watched the two siblings feud and it really reminded me of me and Mario, in a way. Except we would be arguing over rent, bills, food, or who would have to be the one to take a particularly dirty plumbing job.

"Come on, Lemmy, you can't hog Weegie to yourself," Larry protested, "It's not fair."

_Weegie? _

Wendy's door open and the girl poked her head out to see what was going on. She gave each of her brothers a meaningful glance and coupled the gesture with her index finger mashed up against her lips. Down the hall, Roy's voice could be heard as well.

"Pipe down in there, will ya'!" he shouted from his room.

Both boys looked ready to retort and I knew that would lead to a whole lot of commotion so I intervened.

"Hey, hey, don't worry about them." I said, "Let's find something we can all do."

"We can all play ball," Larry suggested.

I said, "There's not enough room for that in here. Something might get broken."

_And that's the last thing I want. The less I have to answer to Ludwig about, the better. _

Not that I was afraid of him or anything. I just didn't want any problems. Larry toyed with the red ball and rolled his eyes.

"I know that, Weegie," He said matter-of-factly, "That's why we go outside and play."

I frowned. "Outside? It's like, negative 50 degrees out there."

"It's not that cold." Larry assured me. "Come on, let's go."

Since Lemmy had seemed to warm up to the idea, I decided to humor them. At least for a little while.

"Alright then, go and get your coats." I told them.

They looked at me funny.

"Coats?" Lemmy spoke slowly, as if confused.

Larry said, "It's like a jacket, Lemmy, only bigger."

To me he stated, "We don't have those."

"Why not?" I asked with an edge of incredulity.

_How do they live in the middle of an arctic wasteland and not own a coat? Something's not adding up here. _

"We don't need 'em." Larry replied simply.

I stared at the two boys questioningly. Lemmy was no more than about four feet tall, at most, and Larry wasn't much taller. Both were on the skinny side, too, so that made me skeptical of what he'd just said. Then I remembered something; these weren't regular kids. They were former Koopas, so that must mean they're like Bowser and his son, who I know through Peasley that they have elevated body temperatures.

That would explain it.


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks everybody for your feedback! It makes me so very happy!**

**No seriously, I grin like an idiot every time I read your reviews and see that you faved/alerted the story so thank you thank you thank you! :3**

**And as always, enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

* * *

"I don't know about this."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to save the princess?"

"Of course, but"

"Then that's all you need to know."

Daisy was starting to loathe that simplistic way Ludwig had of answering her lately. He was making things sound so very plain and easy when they weren't. There was a lot to worry about, but he was taking things in stride like this was a basic operation.

"Try not to act so suspicious," He told her, "Just because we're in your kingdom doesn't mean you can let your guard down."

Daisy nodded to herself in affirmation to what he'd said. As they meandered down the quiet marketplace heading back to the inn she pondered what was to come. Ludwig wanted her to take on an alias. That was a smart idea but also a foreign one. Even though she'd been lying low in the Mushroom Kingdom, she had never gone so far as to change her name or appearance: Ludwig wanted her to do both.

_But I suppose, in the scheme of things, it's a small sacrifice to make, _she reasoned. _And it's not like this will be permanent. _

The two of them got to the upstairs room and Ludwig laid the clothes he'd bought for her on the bed. Daisy noticed that, along with the clothes, there were small hair ornaments and three pairs of shoes. All of the things were incredibly boring, all of them were in washed out whites, faded browns, and so on. They just screamed 'poverty'.

"Go ahead, put one on." Ludwig ordered.

Daisy picked up an outfit, a white dress and matching slippers, and headed to the bathroom. When she'd gotten into them, she took a glance in the mirror.

_I don't look too different, _she blinked.

"Come out here so I can glamour you." Ludwig called.

"Excuse me?" She called back, affronted.

He explained, "A spell to alter your appearance is called a glamour, sweetheart."

Daisy blushed and started walking out of the bathroom towards him.

_Oh. Of course. What else would he be talking about? _

She sat down on the bed and closed her eyes. For what? She didn't know. She expected the spell to be something she could feel, like a sprinkle of magic or a pinprick of pain all over her body, within her nerves. Something to indicate that she was changing. But seconds went by in silence and suddenly Ludwig was handing her a mirror.

"Open your eyes and look." He instructed.

Daisy did as he said and drew in a breath. Looking in the mirror was like looking through a window at someone else. She didn't recognize this plain Jane that was now her.

_I mean, I was no knockout before, necessarily, but this is too much. A step up from androgynous, I think. And if the looks aren't enough, I'm...I'm...hopelessly flat! _

She lamented the changes but kept a brave face. It was all for the sake of the operation. No small sacrifice would blind her from the big picture; Bowser had to be taken down, Peach had to be saved. End of story. If she had to be flat and unremarkable, so be it.

_And it's not permanent, _she reminded herself.

Still, the ash-blonde, pin-straight long, chin-length hair was unnerving, as were those dove grey eyes. She especially hated the fact that Luigi wouldn't be able to tell who she was anymore. But this was a necessary sacrifice indeed.

"Did you have to make me look so...bland?" She asked, putting the mirror aside.

Ludwig was studying her as well. He nodded resolutely.

"Yes. Bland is good." He stated, "Bland is easily overlooked. You, as your natural self, are incredibly remarkable, and any male with functioning eyes would notice you. That would be counterproductive."

Under his veiled praise Daisy found herself blushing once more. But she composed herself long enough to ask something of him.

"So um, who am I?"

It was such a peculiar question to ask, but under the circumstances it was a prudent one. Ludwig answered quickly as if he'd already had this figured out.

_He probably did have it figured out; he always seems to be two steps ahead. _

"Rose. No surname, that's common among the poor in his kingdom," Ludwig replied, "You're 18 years old and an orphan whose father recently died."

Daisy didn't like how close to home that backstory hit but didn't say anything about it. At least it wouldn't be hard to remember.

"Why do I want to work for the...for him?" She asked.

Ludwig said smoothly, "Kitchen hands are treated fairly well, you've heard rumors of three square meals and a place to lay your head at night under the king's employment. And you're a hard worker."

He stressed the last part heavily. Daisy cut her eyes at that. She was used to hard work and doing for herself and her cousins. Not for the first time she thought of Danny and Meech, and if they were okay.

_Do they miss me? Are they still running the shop? Taking care of each other? I wish I could just see them one more time, just for about five minutes, long enough to hug them both. _

She blinked rapidly and cleared those thoughts from her mind. There was no time for that now. She had to focus. Ludwig was giving her vital information and she knew that once she got inside the palace, it would be up to her to put it to use.

"Not only will you be fulfilling the role of a generic maid," Ludwig spoke on, "But you'll need to find ways to shadow the king, to get information about what's going on without bringing attention to yourself."

"I'm guessing that's gonna be harder than it sounds."

Ludwig spared her a glance and murmured, "Smart girl. You should know that the king has a screening process in place for all prospective workers; this means you'll have to deal with his court of magicians."

"So the king doesn't bring in new workers, the magicians do?" She asked in confusion.

The enforcer nodded, "Even since the war, he trusts his court to handle certain affairs."

Daisy said, "So should I be worried about them or the king?"

"Both," Ludwig stated curtly, "The court are his eyes and ears so don't let your guard down. And when they interview you, try not to make an impression on them."

"...Oh. Kay." She remarked slowly.

That was an odd piece of advice. She would try to keep it in mind.

"It's best if they forget about you, anonymity is key." Ludwig told her sagely. "Once you're in there, just stay aware of what's going on around you. Get away from your duties as much as possible because when I come to you each night, I expect you to have adequate information for me."

Daisy frowned and asked, "Wait, how do you expect me to do that? Don't you think that'll bring attention if I'm never working?"

Ludwig sighed and patiently stated, "I'm not telling you to abandon your work, just find excuses to get out of it."

"Alright, but how are we gonna' meet every night?"

"Let me worry about that." The enforcer said, "just do your part and garner intel."

Daisy had a lot more questions and insecurities that she wanted to address about the mission but Ludwig held up a hand.

"That's enough for right now. We'll pick this up later on."

Ludwig strode away from her and towards the door, saying he'd be back in a short while.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To run errands," he called out, "Don't wait up for me."

Daisy folded her arms and stared at the door with her lips scrunched and her brow cocked:

_Don't count on it, _she thought.

* * *

Something was definitely up with these kids, and today I found out what that was. Now there were several things that tipped me off, and together it led me to one stunning conclusion; they were all hiding something. But what? That was what I'd been wondering, but like I said, I found out just what that was today.

The first thing that had clued me in that something was amiss was Larry and Lemmy. Of course with Lemmy, just the sheer agility for someone his age was not normal. The kid was some kind of Spider Man, what with the way he dodged and evaded and twisted and turned; that was during an outdoor game of what he and Larry mimicked after basketball. And speaking of Larry, he was a regular King James: and no, I'm not talking about the one who had the Bible translated. Like good old Lebron, Larry was a pro at their version of basketball, but the kid's talent didn't stop there. Tennis, hockey, baseball, you name it; he was super-humanly gifted. He never missed a shot, never got hit by an errant ball, never ran too slow or swung too soon. It was downright uncanny. After I had played with the two of them for a few days and got over the weirdness of having to wrap up in three blankets while these little boys pranced around in nothing but shorts and t-shirts, I started to notice those things.

But that was just the beginning of the abnormalities.

Roy and Morton I usually left alone. The oldest had a sour attitude and Morton, or MJ as his siblings called him, played right along with whatever his brother said or did. Well, when I was fixing lunch for the two smallest kids, Roy came sauntering in the kitchen and started fumbling around. He was looking for something to eat as well. I asked him if he wanted a sandwich like Lemmy and Larry but he opted for cereal instead. That's what he was looking for, a spoon, but when he found one he dropped it and then accidentally kicked it under the fridge. He cussed under his breath and I almost turned around to berate him but thought better of it; I mean, he's not my kid. But out of the corner of my eye I saw something beyond freaky: this kid lifted up the fridge.

No I'm serious. I saw that fridge go up.

He denied it of course, saying, "_you must be seein' things, yo," _but I know what I saw. Or half-saw. That fridge went up. How else could he have gotten that spoon so fast? The thing went _way _under there. But like I said, he denied it in that smart-mouth way of his and Morton was right there backing him up, so I let the matter drop. That was yesterday.

That still wasn't the strangest thing to have happened, though.

This morning I helped Lemmy get dressed. Apparently this was something Larry usually did, they were roommates after all, but since I was here I guess the young jock didn't feel the need to do the task anymore. At any rate I was pulling Lemmy's shirt over his head when I saw something odd. The bathroom is right across from the two brothers' room and when their door is open, you can pretty much see right into it. Now the bathroom door was closed but it wasn't shut all the way, per say. So when I happened to glance that way, I could see the person's reflection in the mirror. It was Wendy, and she must've just washed her hair because it was soaking wet. However, with a simple curve and flick of her wrist, the water was tugged from her thick locks and splashed right into the sink. She then shook her long, blonde, considerably dry hair.

_The hell? _

The only one of the kids I haven't seen acting weird or covering for the other, in Morton's case, is Iggy. He spends most of his time in the basement, though, only coming up for air whenever he needed to eat and I'm pretty sure there's another bathroom down there, so yeah. I don't know about him. The rest of the kids have been acting funny this entire week and it was time to address this. So this afternoon I called them all to the front room for a little meeting.

"What's going on?" Wendy asked.

All of them were crammed on either the couch across from where I stood or on the loveseat adjacent to it. To say they couldn't stand being around each other most of the time, they sure did stick together whenever they thought they were in trouble.

"I wanted to talk to all of you." I started.

Roy asked, " 'Bout what?"

_How should I put this? I'm seriously beginning to think you're all hoarding some freakish genetic secret? No. That didn't sound like it'd go over too well. _

"Come on, man, you wastin' my time, yo." Roy griped.

I rolled my eyes and said, "You're sixteen years old; where do you really have to be?"

"...Places," Roy frowned.

_Right. I'm sure. _

"Well there's not a real easy way to say this, so I'm just gonna come out and say it. Er, ask it: what are you guys hiding?"

It was as if a bucket of ice cold water had been doused over them all; each of them sat up that much straighter and paled a lot, shifting their eyes in any direction but mine.

"W-what you talkin' 'bout, man?" Roy asked in a significantly less confident voice.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Morton chimed in.

I stared at all of them and said, "You know what I mean. Lemmy, you're way too flexible for a human being and Larry, no way you're just that good at sports. And as for the rest of you, well; let's just say I've noticed some things."

I didn't want to put the girl on the spot, but I couldn't help looking right at Wendy when I said that. She blushed and glanced away; somehow she knew exactly what I was referring to. The other kids seemed to have caught on to what I was hinting at by now so all that was left was for them to go ahead and come clean. I crossed my arms and stood there, waiting for someone to break the sudden silent spell.

"In the bathroom. Earlier. You saw that, didn't you?" Wendy asked me nervously.

I nodded.

Roy looked dumbfounded and asked, "What did you see? Were you eyein' my lil' sister up in the bathroom, yo?"

"No, nothing like that," I assured him.

_She's about ten or eleven years too young for me. _

"He saw me doing my hair." Wendy stated brusquely.

Morton asked, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"With my powers," She elucidated.

Now the the other two seemed to get it. Morton made an 'o' with his mouth and nodded to himself while Roy cut his eyes.

"So you just had to slip up, Wen," he scoffed, "I don't know why you're always fixin' your hair and doin' your nails and puttin' on those tight clothes."

"Shut up, Roy." She hissed, "My clothes aren't that tight."

"Who are you trying to impress, huh?" Roy continued to jeer, "We're in the middle of nowhere, so who are you gettin' cute for?"

"I said shut up!" Wendy snapped.

The boy's words did have some truth in them. Since I've been here, Wendy has been dressing in some of the prettiest clothes and going the extra mile with her hair and makeup. I didn't know where she was getting the tools to make herself look like she'd just fallen off the runway but I really only interacted with Lemmy and Larry, the rest I left alone.

"I think Wendy looks nice in all her clothes," Lemmy chirped.

He was promptly ignored by everyone else in the room since both his older siblings were still going at it.

"Is all this for Luigi?" Roy teased.

Morton added, "Yeah, are you doing this for him, sis?"

Wendy blushed again and narrowed her eyes. "Both of you need to stop."

"Oh, but you didn't answer the question, dear Wendy." Roy laughed.

"Nope, you did not indeed," Morton piped up.

"Leave her alone," I said at last.

I didn't want to get in there but they were giving her a real hard time. The boys still snickered but that was the end of that. For now. I had to get talking before they pulled anymore shenanigans.

"Now your sister isn't the only one I caught in the act," I said, "That's right, Roy, I saw what you did this morning."

"You ain't seen nothin', yo!" Roy denied.

"Oh, come off it," I sighed, "you don't have to be ashamed, I just wanna' know what's going on."

Another silence ensued.

"Alright, fine." Roy said quietly, "Everybody, drop the henge."

I think that if I would've blinked, I would've missed this key transformation the kids suddenly underwent. One moment I saw them and the next, they were vastly different. Gone was their pale skin and normal facades, leaving behind an interesting group of young people in their stead. Wendy was the only one who remained the same, with her clear blue eyes and long hair.

Lemmy had the same length and texture hair but right now it was about ten different hues. Teal, magenta, canary yellow; it was a real eyesore, but in a sort of endearing way, I guess. His brother Larry had royal blue hair that was short on each side but longer and spiked in the middle. Roy's was still short all over but was now hot pink, and Morton's hadn't changed at all. However, over his left eye was a faint, star-shaped grey scar that almost looked like a tattoo. Iggy, the tall, skinny, quiet one that I most often overlooked had long, straight hair that was bright lime green and tied up in a high ponytail. I blinked and took this all in.

"Okay. Give me a minute to um."

I rubbed my eyes and kept them closed for a few seconds. When I'd gotten over my initial shock of seeing this new revelation, I regarded the uh, children once more.

Upon closer inspection, I saw that Roy was a lot more well-built than before, all of them were. Even Wendy had a bit of muscle definition under that curvy figure. She was hiding it under her red snakeskin pants but those legs looked deceptively strong for a fifteen year old's.

_Not that I'm checking this girl out. _

This all just gave me the impression that Ludwig's been working these kids out or something. He is an enforcer for King Boo after all. I wouldn't be surprised if he taught them to fight.

"Is there anything else I should know about?" I asked.

They shared glances among themselves.

"Go on." I prompted with a wry smile, "It's not like there's much more you need to hide."

"Wendy isn't the only one with powers," Iggy spoke for the first time since I've been here.

He had a strange sort of voice, stuck in between that of a child's and a young man's. How old was he again? Thirteen? I chalked it up to puberty.

Iggy pushed his thick black glasses up on his nose and blinked rapidly. He was twitching and fidgeting like he had bad nerves or something.

"Larry is a master at anything involving sports or hand-eye coordination." He explained, "and Lemmy is, well, supernaturally flexible and limber."

Lemmy declared, "Wendy can make water!"

"I can't _make _water, I can only manipulate what's already there." She corrected him patiently, "Roy has monstrous strength, by the way."

"It's true, yo," Roy admitted, "And MJ here can deck cracks in the ground."

Morton chuckled. "Yup, I can do that alright."

"You forgot about Iggs!" Larry shouted, "He's the smartest out of everybody. He's always down in the basement, doing his inventions."

"Not so loud, buddy." I told him.

_I see Ludwig didn't teach him about inside and outside voices. _

"We weren't supposed to let anybody see our true selves," Wendy said quietly, "Ludwig put a henge on us. It's like a glamour spell, only stronger."

"You're speaking Greek to me," I told her.

Roy said, "Big brother made us hide our real appearance. Plain and simple."

"Okay," I replied, "Why?"

Wendy answered with, "He wants to get us used to living in the real world, as normal people."

"Normal people without cool powers, yo." Roy muttered bitterly.

"Just boring, regular people," Morton acceded.

Wendy shot them both a look.

Okay, that was enough of that subject. I could sense dissension in the air. It was clear to see that Wendy had a strong desire to integrate into the 'Real World', which I'm assuming was America. It would make sense since Ludwig has all this modern technology and all of the furniture and even their clothes were American-styled. However, her brothers didn't share in her sentiments. Roy had made it known that he didn't relish giving up his powers for a bit of normalcy.

"So you each have unique abilities," I stated, "That's fine with me."

"It is?" Larry asked.

"Yeah," I nodded, "I just wanted to know what was going on, and now I do. So you can all go back to what you were doing."

A few shrugs, a few murmurs and they were all getting up and taking my suggestion. All but one, that is.

"Hey, Weegie, you gonna' come play with us?" Lemmy asked.

Larry added, "Yeah, you coming? We're playing catch in our room."

I glanced at Wendy sitting on the couch. I didn't know much about girls in particular, but I could read people fairly well. This child wanted to talk.

I told them, "I'll be there in a little bit."

Then I sat down beside Wendy. On his way to his room, Roy saw the two of us and started making kissy faces at his sister, taunting her about a crush he claimed she had on me. For the third time today she blushed and bowed her head. The way her hair fell over her pink cheeks and the way she wrung her hands reminded me of Daisy. These were some of her nervous habits.

"Don't worry about them," I told her gently, "did you have something on your mind?"

She glanced up at me hesitantly and said, "Yeah. Sort of. I mean."

"Take your time." I encouraged.

Wendy paused and took a breath. "Yeah, I did want to talk."

"Okay."

"I mostly wanted to know...what's it like over there?"

"You mean in my world?"

"Yeah."

"It's a lot like here."

"Really?"

She asked her question with a hint of skepticism. I didn't blame her, that was a poor answer on my part. Brooklyn was nothing like here, save for the general layout of things and the cold weather. I tried to think of a better thing to say.

"It's alright. Lots of people, lots of buildings, lots of snow, and lots of noise." I said honestly.

"Oh." She hummed. "I thought it would be more exciting."

"It is," I told her, "In certain parts. There's plenty of restaurants, plenty of clubs."

I almost forgot who I was talking to.

"But uh, you're a little too young for those, I think."

"Clubs? What are those?" She piped curiously.

I looked into those bright eyes and tried to give her the G-rated version of what went down in some of those seedy places.

"They're like parties people go to. To um, dance and have fun." I replied vaguely.

She smiled sweetly and said, "I like to dance."

_Not as much as late-night Brooklyn, sweetie. _

"Are you going back there, after Ludwig comes back?" She asked me.

I shrugged, "Probably."

"I wonder, then, if I'll see you there." She said softly.

I really didn't like where this was headed, so I changed the subject.

"So you like to dress up?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I mean I don't really dress up I just like making my own clothes, making things that fit me."

"You make your own clothes?"

"Yes. I sew really well. And Ludwig brings me back fabric when he's not feeling stingy." she smirked.

I was impressed. The clothes she wore were by no means cut-rate. They certainly were unique and they 'fit' her, alright. A little too well sometimes. I suppose that was her outlet, though. In a house, er, bunker full of boys, all she had was that. Sewing her own clothes, listening to her radio and dancing when she thought the door was closed. She was a tomboy trying to embrace her girly side because I think she feared she may lose touch with it altogether if she didn't.

* * *

**A/N: ****Would you guys rather shorter chapters that come in fairly quickly or longer chapters that take a bit more time in between updates? Let me know and it shall be so!**

******And don't forget to tell me what you think of the story so far, of the characters, and anything else you have to say in a review! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	26. Chapter 26

**Somebody asked for...Romance? **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

* * *

As if being a plain, flat-chested maid wasn't bad enough, Ludwig had tacked on something else to make Daisy's task harder: She was to be a _mute, _plain, flat-chested maid.

"It doesn't make sense." She protested.

"It makes plenty sense; because of the handicap, people are more likely to underestimate you."

"But it's going to put me at a disadvantage."

"No it won't; a silent spy is an effective one." He said sagely.

"Spare me the philosophy and ditch this facet of my backstory, please? It isn't necessary!"

Ludwig stopped pacing in front of her and folded his arms. They were in the inn again, this was to be their last night, and she was all packed and ready on the bed. Well, she had only brought one bag. This week had gone by fast for the young woman, and she almost felt ready to take on the job of helping bring down the Dark King.

But then Ludwig had thrown her this curveball.

The young man tapped his finger against his forearm and scrutinized her. That never failed to perturb Daisy. She knew she had to get over that, though, seeing as how she would be under the scrutiny of the King's court.

"Are you afraid, Miss Daisy, at the prospect of having to keep your mouth shut for days, even weeks, on end?" He smirked.

Daisy flushed and then frowned.

"Not at all." She answered tightly.

He then said, "Well you should have no problem upholding the image of a young, dumb girl."

"I'm not dumb." She remarked.

"Ah, but Rose is." He told her, "Dumb as in mute, Rose."

_Well don't I feel foolish, _Daisy thought. She closed her mouth then and hated that so many things that Ludwig said to her she misinterpreted, and in turn made herself look bad.

"What if I mess up and say something?"

"Don't."

"How am I supposed to get through the interviews?"

"Don't worry about that."

"What do you mean?"

Ludwig said patiently, "I mean that I'll handle it. Just stick to the story I've created for you, Rose."

"I would, if you wouldn't add things at the last minute," Daisy argued.

He said, "Just do your part; keep quiet, stay alert, don't let your guard down, and try not to raise suspicion."

"Okay then." Daisy sighed.

"Give me your hand." He ordered.

He had a controlling spirit, he was a natural-born leader so she had learned by now to get used to him ordering her to do things. She slipped her hand into his.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

Ludwig smirked and said, "To visit your boyfriend."

* * *

Now that the kids were themselves, they were all more relaxed around me. I mean they _really _warmed up to me. First it was just me and Lemmy and Larry hanging out, but now the others were actually talking to me without having been prompted.

Morton and Roy invited me to come to their room and work out. Besides those two cots hanging on the wall with a blanket and pillow stacked atop them, their room looked like a miniature weight room. From what they'd told me, most of the equipment belonged to Roy. I never really was one to pump iron so I declined their offer. I mostly stuck with the two younger ones still. It was enough exercise just following behind those small boys, making sure that Larry didn't toss a ball into the rack of dishes or that Lemmy didn't somersault right into a wall or one of his siblings.

And then there was Wendy.

She really did have this thing going on where she would tag along with me and her younger brothers to get my attention. I had confirmed that she had a crush on me when I caught her staring at me out the corner of her eye, biting the edge of her lip and just hard-down _staring_. When I looked at her she blushed. If that weren't enough evidence, I noticed that wherever I stood or sat, she was by my side. The girl had a crush.

But why me?

I wasn't selling myself short, it's just that. Hm. I'm 26 years old and yeah, I look a little younger but not by much. I could only say that the girl didn't get out much, so naturally when someone new came around there was an initial infatuation. It would wear off, I'm sure. But it was still something kind of creepy to know that a fifteen year old girl was looking at me like that. It reminded me of a toned-down version of Tanya.

"Ludwig is here." Wendy suddenly stated.

We were on the couch. Lemmy and Larry were on the floor, rolling a ball back and forth to each other. Roy and Morton were in the room, blasting their 'hype-music' from an old boombox and working out. Or at least Roy was. I could hear the chink of metal hitting metal repetitively. While I sat at one end, Wendy was at the other in her turquoise leather pants and fitted black t-shirt that showed a thin line of midriff. Her thick hair was pinned up today, and around her neck was a homemade choker. She also had a plethora of little bracelets on each arm. I'm not sure but I think I smelled perfume on her.

Anyway, when she said that thing about Ludwig being here, she started to bite one of her electric blue nails. Lemmy and Larry also stopped playing and looked at each other. I think they were contemplating whether or not to pick up their henges. So far they've kept the henges down and walked around as their true selves. I could see how they'd be anxious with their oldest brother supposedly here.

"Go to your rooms." She told her brothers, making a decision for them.

The boys did as they were told and she crossed her legs lazily. From her skin-tight pocket she pulled a silver glitter nail file and started working at her nails. From the way she handled the thing, I'd say she wasn't so familiar with the habit as she let on. I really did think the girl was a tomboy at heart.

"You can let me go now."

"Ah, but I wanted to see the look on his face."

"You're horrible."

"This is true."

Daisy and Ludwig. I could hear them coming down the hallway. When they opened the doors I was on my feet. But then I froze.

"Where is she?" I asked. "Where's Daisy?"

In front of me was a young girl, about seventeen or eighteen, not very remarkable, with short blonde hair that curved under her chin and owlish grey eyes. She was slim and flat as a board all around. I didn't see Daisy, though, and that confused me. I'd just heard her speaking a moment ago.

"Luigi, it's me." The girl spoke.

I frowned, "What?"

"It's a charm," Ludwig explained. "This is the appearance she'll be using for the duration of the operation."

"Why?" I asked.

"It suits the purpose of the mission."

"And what does that mean?" I frowned.

Ludwig sighed, "Must I explain everything to you? She looks the way she does because it fits the purpose of the operation. Your little friend is a beautiful girl with some...remarkable assets."

"What the hell?" I grimaced.

The enforcer asked, "Would you rather the Dark King have seen her the way she was? I guarantee you he would taken notice. Is that what you want?"

He did have a point there, about Daisy being beautiful and about the king noticing. I actually doubted that he would notice, what with Peach being there to keep him occupied, but there was no use taking the risk.

Daisy turned to Ludwig and said, "I want to be with him alone. Can you take us somewhere? And drop this, um, charm?"

"Of course, Rose. But first, I need to...evaluate your boyfriend." He smirked.

At me.

I tried not to let him get under my skin as he brushed past me. He and I were nearly the same height and build, although he did have a bit more definition than I did. I still think I could take him if he kept baiting me like this. However, for now I remained calm and followed him to the front room where Wendy still say. When I came into the room, she stood next to me with her hands on her hips.

"What is that?" Ludwig asked her.

She tilted her head. "What is what?"

"That. On your body." He expounded sharply.

"Clothes."

"Why is your stomach showing?"

"Because the shirt cuts off that way."

"And what is that around your navel?"

"Body glamour."

"What?"

"It's like a tattoo, but with jewelry."

"Take it off. And take those womanish clothes off, too."

"What am I supposed to wear then?"

"Something decent, Wendy."

"Whatever."

I blinked at the exchange. It certainly was eye-opening. I had not seen this side of the girl at all this week. This Wendy was cheeky and sarcastic, defiant and rebellious. When she was alone with me and her brothers, she was quiet, almost shy, responsible, caring, and very maternal at times. As she scoffed and rolled her eyes on her way to her room, I noticed that Ludwig had his eyes narrowed.

_Somebody doesn't have as much control as he likes to boast, _I realized. He was protective of his little sister but even I, a stranger, could see that his authority over her was waning. Perhaps there was a time where his word was law, but that time was coming to an end; at least with Wendy.

Ludwig stepped past me down the hall and into his youngest brothers' room. They were in henge-mode, so they looked like two normal little boys. One blonde haired, and the other donning a mop of wavy black hair. They sat on the floor playing the same game they were at in the front room.

"Hey, Lu!" Lemmy chirped.

"You brought us something?" Larry asked.

"No."

I think his curt mood could be attributed to his sister's attitude.

Next he went into Morton and Roy's room. They were both lying on their cots, one atop the other like bunk beds, and when the door opened they stirred. Neither said a word. Both, like their younger brothers, had gone into henge-mode. Ludwig seemed to accept the state of things and left their room. He went to the door at the end of the hall and opened it. There was darkness.

"Iggy." He called.

Said boy came hurrying up the stairs that led down into the basement, looking tall and slender and considerably normal. This seemed to please Ludwig as well, and he sent his brother back down into his 'room'. Then he did the wrong thing, in my opinion, and went back to Wendy's room. He opened the door and we saw that the girl was there, sitting on her bed.

"Don't you ever knock?" she huffed.

"Why haven't you changed clothes?"

"You didn't give me time to!" Wendy cried.

"You've had plenty of time."

"You still should've knocked," She muttered, "What if I'd been naked?"

"Don't say things like that, Wendy."

"Whatever. Did you need something?"

"No."

Again, I wondered why he even bothered going back to her room. She obviously didn't want to be bothered with him. I didn't understand why their relationship was this strained, especially since he had spoken so highly of his siblings; he'd even gone so far as to call them his 'treasures'.

"Your hand, Rose." Ludwig spoke.

He was talking to the girl, no, Daisy. I realized when she took my hand that we were being teleported. We left the hallway and arrived at a lakeside, with clear water ahead and the woods at our backs. Ludwig turned to Daisy and in the next instant she was as herself again.

"I'll be back in a few hours." He told us before he left.

I didn't know where we were but I did know that I was alone with the woman I loved, the woman I'd missed every single day we were apart. Maybe I was being abrupt but I pulled her into a hug that even I knew was tight. I had just missed her a lot.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

She nodded against my chest and asked, "What about you?"

I laughed. "Pretty good, now that I know you're fine."

"How were the kids?"

"Like kids."

"Oh, that's real descriptive," She grinned.

But from the way she was smiling I think she knew exactly what I meant by that. She had raised her cousins, after all. When I was finally done holding her and making sure that she was, indeed, in good shape like she'd insisted, I let her go and we both sat in the warm grass. Wherever we were, it was around high noon instead of near night like back at the bunker. I took off my jacket and stared off at the water. It was shiny from where the sun reflected off of it.

Meanwhile, Daisy had scooted close to me, right up against my side. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

"Hey," I spoke.

She blinked up at me with those light eyes. I smiled at her and kissed her head again. The girl was my most precious thing.

"I missed you," I admitted.

"You know I missed you, too." She whispered, "It's not easy being around His High and Mightiness all week."

"Did he do anything to you?" I frowned.

She shook her head, making her hair fall from behind her ear. I tucked it back. She laid against me once more and started drumming her fingers on my knee. I was still kind of agitated. It seemed like even though we were all supposedly working together, he still had it out for me.

"Why did we hitch with him again?" I muttered rhetorically.

Daisy told me, "Because he's a tactical mastermind and really knows what he's doing."

"What _is _he doing?"

"Lots of things." Daisy answered evasively.

I met her eyes and asked, "Lots of things? Like what, for instance?"

"Um. Well, he wants me to sign my kingdoms over to him. For instance."

I scoffed and said, "Well I hope you told him 'no'."

"I haven't told him anything yet." She murmured.

With a frown I asked, "So you're considering doing this?"

She sat up and moved across from me, then folded her arms. With her chin tilted defensively, she backed herself up.

"Luigi, I probably will do this. I don't want to, I mean I really don't know if I trust him that much, but his reasoning for doing this; it makes sense."

"So what's his reasoning, then?" I prompted.

She said, "Well, while I'm at the palace, he'll be assembling the armies of Sarasaland to stand against the Dark King."

Okay, so that did make an ounce of sense. But it still seemed a bit too convenient for the domineering ex-Enforcer if you ask me. He was the type that was drawn to power like pre-pubescent girls to boy bands; I wasn't sure that, once he had a taste of being king, he would give it all up again.

Then something occurred to me.

"You're going to the palace? Alone?"

I didn't like the sound of that at all.

"Yes, Luigi, we talked about this."

"You going alone wasn't part of the plan. Ludwig was supposed to be getting in there with you."

"He'll be meeting with me every day, Luigi. It'll be fine."

"No, it won't. What if you need help? What if things get out of hand?"

Daisy's eyes grew frightened and I realized that I probably shouldn't have asked that. By doing so, I only unearthed those fears that were lurking within her all along. I had thought she was making light of the situation, when in actuality she just as scared as, if not more than, me about this whole mission. Now that her brave front had vanished, she began wringing her hands and worrying the inside of her bottom lip, tell-tale signs of her anxiety.

"I don't know what will happen once I'm inside the palace," She stated, "And that really, _really, _scares me. But I have to make the best of the situation."

"You're right." I told her. "I just don't want you to go in there alone."

Daisy glanced away and said, "I won't really be there. Rose will."

"The charm thing?" I asked knowingly.

She nodded. "If I stay in character, there won't be a problem. I'll just be another nameless maid, no one of consequence. No one who'd be worth any notice or scrutiny."

_In theory, _I added, but only to myself. She was calming her nerves with these statements, they were for her benefit, not mine. This was her way of dealing with the upcoming situation. I wouldn't stir her up again. I wanted her to be at peace before she had to leave, so I took those slender hands she was wringing and brought them to my mouth. When I kissed them, she smiled at me in the old, shy way she used to.

I turned her hands over and kissed her wrists then. She moved closer to me and took her hands back, slipped her arms around my neck. In turn I laid my hands over her waist. She looked at me from under her lashes and I got weak. The girl was too much. I leaned forward and kissed her.

"I really missed you, Luigi." She breathed.

I smirked and whispered, "Yes, I see."

She laughed and her bright ruby lips spread so nicely over her teeth. I didn't want to hold these feelings that she was stirring up in me to myself so I tucked my finger under her chin.

"You have a really pretty smile." I told her.

Her expression melted into something cute and taken aback.

"...Oh Luigi, sometimes you're just so..."

"Corny?" I supplied.

She rolled her eyes playfully and said, "Nooo...I was gonna' say sweet."

"And corny." I chuckled.

"It's okay, I like corny." Daisy assured me.

She got on her knees and crawled over to me, sitting so close to me that she might as well have been in my lap. My legs were hopelessly open so she didn't have far to go. I wish I wouldn't have sat this way; I would be lying if I didn't say this girl was doing things to me, to my body right then. Did she even know?

Perhaps.

She put her arms around my neck again and pushed her lips, and her body, against mine. I was getting overwhelmed; I mean, I wanted to help her relax and all, but not this much.

Daisy was definitely in my lap now. She was sliding her tongue over mine and doing this thing where she dragged her hands down the front of my shirt and then under the fabric. As soon as her warm hands made contact with my stomach I shivered. She ran the tip of her tongue over my bottom lip and my heart raced.

"Don't...don't do that," I whispered, taking her wrists and moving them from under my shirt.

She complied but then started combing her fingers through the hair at back of my head. Her hand moved steadily down my neck and rested on my shoulder, with the other on my leg. Those hands weren't the only thing active: she was dropping soft kisses down my jaw, then below my ear and on my throat.

_Does she know what she's doing to me? _

I had to stop her. I didn't want to, God knows I really didn't, but we couldn't finish this here so why start? It would only frustrate the both of us. Definitely me.

"Daisy," I murmured, "We can't...no, stop, Daisy, look at me."

She brushed her petal-soft lips from my neck to my cheek in a painstakingly-slow motion. Then she blinked up at me in a way that was far too innocent for the way I was feeling. I never in my life wanted somebody so badly before.

"What's wrong?" She asked quietly.

Her lips were parted and red and I could hardly take my eyes off them. When I almost did, she ran her tongue over them. I shut my eyes and glanced away.

"Luigi, what is it?" Daisy wanted to know.

I couldn't tell her what was really the problem; that I was getting really turned on and was afraid of what I might do to her if we kept this up. But if I lied, I'd be terrible at it and that may hurt her feelings.

"Remember when we were at Bowser's palace. In the gardens?" I asked in a voice unsteady.

"Yeah?"

She wasn't getting it. I turned back to her and put my hands on both sides of her head. I tilted her head up and kissed her forehead, then pulled back and kissed her nose.

"This isn't the place for us to do this." I said as gently as I could.

She still withdrew anyway, emotionally that is. She smiled brokenly and nodded.

"Oh yeah. You're right. I'm sorry, I didn't. I mean I just." She stammered.

The girl was embarrassed now and that wasn't what I wanted. Daisy climbed off my lap and stood, then discarded her shoes. She walked with her arms wrapped around herself to the edge of the lake. Her bare feet disappeared under the surface of the water. With her head bowed, her long dark hair was free to hang in front of her shoulders and down her back. The sun had to be at its prime but she didn't seem to mind. I didn't want her to get the wrong idea, so I took off my trainers and joined her in the water.

"Daisy, look." I started.

I turned her around by the shoulders and looked her in the eye.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," I said. "It's okay to do things like that, you didn't do anything wrong."

_No, you did everything right...Too right..._

"This just isn't the time or place." I told her. "I love you and I promise we'll be together once this is all over. And then...then we won't have to stop."

I didn't mean for that to come out all husky like it did. Daisy stepped closer to me and gazed solemnly. Then the corner of her mouth twitched.

"You promise?" She asked coyly.

I smirked and said, "Yeah, definitely. Just not right now."

She dropped the smirk then and said, "You're so good, Luigi."

Then she hugged me. I held her and stroked her back. I was good? Hm. I guess. But not as good as her. I wanted to do right by her and treat her like she deserved, that's all.

* * *

Amazing how everyone around him expected him to do this, go here, be that type of person, take care of this and so on, and yet not require sleep or time to recuperate. It was just work work work nonstop. He felt as if he were being pulled in all directions at once and he knew, from personal experience, how that felt.

"Mario, sir?" A messenger piped, "The troops are ready."

Of course he would be interrupted yet again. He was in his private study, which wasn't so private when you had folks in and out all day. But he knew that if he wanted true sanctuary, he'd have to duck into the war room for a few hours. Right now he had things to do, like always, so that would have to wait. A bottle of scotch was his new best friend, his bayonet was his bed-mate. He knew there were much more powerful, advanced weaponry back home, but to get those he'd need proper licenses and such. That was a load of work that he didn't really feel like dealing with.

_Though there's an underground market in the Bronx that I'm sure could get me a good stock of arms, _he pondered.

And there he was again, thinking like the enemy. He never used to do shady things like this before but long ago war had changed him, freed him from his morals. Almost. There were still the core ones, rooted in his heart somewhere deep down. For the most part, though, he had learned to think like a victor, not a hero, and that meant getting his hands dirty.

He took another swig from his bottle and glared at the monumental mound of paperwork on his desk. He would not be touching that today, that was for sure. Military logs, compensation requests, assault reports; those and more were buried in the mix of clean white sheets.

Mario stood and ran a gloved hand through his hair. On his way to the door he set the bottle of alcohol on the shelf, in between two old law tomes. He didn't drink himself stupid, he knew better than that. He had just enough to settle his mind and keep the pain at bay.

He rounded the corner and headed towards the front gates. The palace was empty and dead without its sunny princess to brighten things, to fill the halls with her sweet presence, to keep up morale. At those thoughts he blinked and tightened his mouth in a scowl. By the time he was out near the barracks behind the castle where his men were assembled, he was full of that righteous anger that fueled him to keep getting up every day and to keep fighting to set things to rights.

"Division 8, you have your orders," He barked, "Why haven't you moved out yet?"

He had issued the order hours ago this morning and now it was late in the evening; he felt his temper rise.

The men in that division all shared wary glances. One white-faced soldier decided to speak for the lot of them.

"We know what happened to the crew before us, sir. They were slain." He stated in a clear voice.

Mario narrowed his eyes and said, "They _were _slain, and the rest of us will be, too, if you and your team don't get down to your positions this instant."

"But sir="

"I issued an order and I expect it to be followed: immediately!" Mario barked, "No hesitation, no questions. Is that understood?"

"...Yes, Majesty." The man answered at last.

Mario couldn't blame them for this insubordination. What man, or toad, wanted to go on a campaign that would almost guarantee their death? Leaving their wives, children, and relatives to mourn their loss and have to fend for themselves. It was sick of him not to consider these things. These men weren't just soldiers, they were his people and it was high time he treated them as such or else he'd be no better than the bastard he was fighting against.

"Look," He sighed, addressing them all. "I know you are anxious, and yes, the men before you were killed. But like I said, if we don't do something, that's gonna' happen to all of us."

"So what do we do, sir? Rush the Dark King's borders and be slain like the others?"

"No, no." Mario shook his head, "We'll be using long-range artillery this time. Stay as far from those borders as we can while still being close enough to do some damage."

This time he wanted to make an impact on the bastard. Let him know that the Mushroom Kingdom was not to be messed with.

* * *

When he was 8 years old, he'd gone to bed with sweet taffy in his mouth and it ended up in his hair; he'd had to cut a good deal of it off and it took two months before it all grew back. Then at 15, his great-aunt sent him a bottle of fancy cologne that made him feel particularly grown up. He'd applied copious amounts to his skin and clothes; later he found out he was allergic and had broken out in hives. Not only that, but he had to toss out one of his favorite outfits that was doused in the stuff as well. And then there was the social embarrassment on top of it all. Needless to say, these were two of the more scandalous situations he'd found himself in, as Bean Kingdom's crown prince.

They were nothing in comparison to now.

Because now, Peasley was hiding out in the bathroom, still clad in his training garb, trying to find a way to get out of sleeping with his fiance. He was twenty-five years old and one of the country's most brilliant young men, despite his obsession with high fashion and good looks. Vain as he may be, he was still clever enough to think of excuses to get him out of sharing he and his wife-to-be's bed. Tonight, though, was a different case. He used every line in the book, and as a result found himself at a loss right now.

He didn't know why the woman stayed all over him. Peasley knew he was attractive but there were plenty of other men his age and older in the palace and around the court. Those men were even disturbed enough to _like _his fiancee. Still, she insisted on assaulting him, not them, with her sexual advances. No matter how firm and stolid in his decision not to have anything to do with her, she kept leeching onto him like some kind of horny parasite.

"Peasley, sweetheart, are you alright in there?" She called.

The hag may have been physically appealing, but her deceitful ways made her as a shrew in his eyes. He loved his country, Bean Kingdom was his home and as prince he felt a deep-rooted duty to protect it and its people. His parents would expect no less of him so he'd have it no other way. As of late, he knew that the thing to protect it from was lying in bed not five or six feet away.

"Hey," She knocked.

"Don't come in here," He told her through the door.

She ignored him and tugged at the knob. It was locked of course. He would do all he could to keep her at arm's length. But due to some sort of sorcery, she managed to open it anyway.

She was a witch.

That much he firmly believed. Standing there in her underwear and a robe that barely covered anything. A temptress. A vile, wicked creature. She had prettied herself up tonight, like every night, with her sweet perfume and black lace and red satin. She was pure evil.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked coyly.

"Trying to bathe, if you'd let me." He muttered.

He was a lot less cheerful and civil when he was alone with the hag. Bitter and nearly depressed. But not totally so, because he still had faith that he'd be able to defeat her. She reached for him but he smacked her hands away.

"Don't. Touch me." He gritted out.

She laughed and said, "Oh, don't be like that."

"Please get out."

"But I've missed you, pet." She pouted.

"Get out." he told her, "I need to bathe."

In a sly voice she said, "We could bathe together."

He made a face. "I think not."

"Peasley, you're no fun." She smirked. "Why don't you just come to bed?"

"Why don't you just go away?" _Forever, _he thought vengefully.

She eyed him up and down and licked her lips. He grimaced. He hated when she did that. It made him feel like a piece of meat or something. So exposed and on display. She stepped in between his legs in front of the sink and he couldn't close them fast enough.

"You act like you don't want me," She murmured.

He rolled his eyes and said, "I'm not acting."

Her hands crept up his torso, her fingers splayed over his chest. He batted at them until she removed them, then hopped down from the counter. To the bedroom he walked as a man condemned and sighed. This was his room. He used to love this room. He had so many adventures in here as a little child; he did have a wonderful imagination back then. Now its sanctity had been perverted by the slim little deviant stalking behind him.

Oh, life.

He hated to do it, but tonight Peasley wouldn't bathe. There was too high a risk of him being molested while trying to do so.

_She's trying to accomplish something, _He knew. She wasn't just trying to get beneath him for the sheer sake of it. There had to be a reason she wanted to do this.

"Did you change your mind, angel?" She spoke from behind him.

Peasley frowned and said, "No. I'm going to sleep so don't bother me."

He should've known that wouldn't work. As soon as he got to his bed, or 'their' bed, no _her _bed, she leapt in behind him. It was horrid what she'd done to the four-poster creation; decked it out in crimson and gold. Like something out of a bad romance novel. He hated it. So tacky, so _not _fashionable.

With her sorcery, she snuffed out all the flames in the candle chandelier that hung above the bed. He had gotten used to her magic by now, but it still unnerved him to be in the dark with her. He rolled onto his stomach and laid his hands in the cradle of his arms. Things were uncharacteristically quiet for a while. He almost fell asleep.

And then...

"Could you kindly get off of me." He ground out.

He felt her weight on his back and knew she'd perched herself there sometime while he was dozing off. She bent over and began to knead his back.

"Oh, but you're so tense," She argued, "I could fix that for you."

"I don't want you to, now get off."

She didn't listen, just leaned down and started dragging wet kisses up his spine. Peasley shivered and flipped onto his back, glaring at her silhouette in the dark.

For all the good that did; she settled herself in his lap.

"What do you want from me?" He asked exasperatedly.

"You already know." She murmured.

He said sternly, "I'm not lying with anyone but my wife, and that is not you."

"But it will be, so why wait?" She protested.

"Because that is what I wish," He snapped, "And if you were worth anything as my fiancee, you'd respect my wishes."

She had started laughing halfway through his tirade. He hated when she did that, she never took him seriously.

"Won't you stop fighting? We both want the same thing." She claimed.

Then she started rolling her hips against him. She arched her back and ground into him, making sure he felt each and every undulation. Then she took his hands and slid them up her bare stomach and over her breasts. He jerked his hands away but in those simple actions alone she had broken through to him. He was a young man and could only take so much before it all started to affect him.

He gave in for a moment and tried to pretend that it was someone else grinding against him. Someone else's hips he was holding, someone else's lips ghosting over his navel and up his chest. When she bit down on the side of his throat and massaged the spot with her tongue he nearly lost himself. Such was the case when those lips made it to his mouth and wreaked havoc there. He was losing touch with what was going on. All he knew was that this body on top of him was curvy in all the right places and writhing in a way that hit all the right spots on his body. His hands were doing as they pleased and so was his tongue, caught trapped with another.

"See? I knew you'd like it."

And just like that his eyes snapped open and the illusion was shattered. He shoved the woman off of him and clambered out of bed. Nothing could stop him from getting out of that room, especially not her calling after him.

Only after he'd shut the door and was down the hall did he start to calm. His heart slowed, his breathing regulated, and the fire that lit his nerves burned out at last. He let himself slide down the cool stone wall and buried his head in his knees.

Someone tapped on his shoulder.

Part of him shuddered, thinking it might be the hag, but upon lifting his blonde head he saw a general in his late father's armies. This particular general was a crucial member of the growing faction Peasley had founded to resist the Dark King's subtle invasion. He knew that his 'fiancee' was responsible for steadily paving the way for Bowser to take over, what with her introduction of foreign guards from his kingdom and her swaying the court in favor of her decisions; he would not stand for it.

So he and this general and a few key other members of Bean Kingdom's society were covertly building up their forces to stand in opposition against the hag, and ultimately run her and her horde of followers out of the country.

"Something the matter, my Prince?" the general asked.

Peasley stood and dusted himself off. "Nothing really."

"If you say so, my Lord."

The general knew not to pry. From that point on, the conversation became veiled. Peasley knew better than to say anything outright; usually he didn't correspond within the palace walls but he thought he'd seize the opportunity.

"How are things with you, then?"

_Have you any news from the border? _

The general replied, "Well and good, I must say."

_No, I'm afraid not._

"Is everything in place for the wedding?"

_Are our forces prepared to stage the attack? _

"Indeed, though things have been frightfully dull; it would be best to push it forward to an earlier date."

_The enemy's been quiet; too quiet. It's best we attack sooner rather than later. _

"My thoughts, exactly."

"How is your fiancee?"

_Is she a suspect after all? Has she plotted anything new? _

"Haven't been able to keep my eyes off her."

_She's a damn dirty witch and needs to be watched. _

* * *

Ludwig came back too soon.

"I guess I don't have to ask what went on here," He had smirked.

Daisy was sitting next to me and we were saying our goodbyes. Needless to say, that was a pretty private affair and for him to just barge in was unsettling. And that smirk aggravated me.

"Come on, I don't have all day." He demanded.

I helped Daisy to her feet and then brought her shoes to her so she could slip them back on. I shoved my feet into my trainers and then took Daisy's hand. Ludwig brought us back to the bunker and I knew it had to be late. He stood by the door and folded his arms.

"This is it, then." Daisy stated, "The mission begins."

Ludwig pointed out, "The mission's been in effect for several days now."

"But the hard part has come." She argued.

"It won't be hard unless you break character or find some other way to screw up." He retorted.

"That's real reassuring," I remarked.

He said, "I'm not trying to reassure her, I'm only being honest."

"You're being a jerk."

"Luigi." Daisy sighed.

"I didn't say what I wanted to."

"And why didn't you?"

I was tempted to keep talking but I just shut my mouth and left it at that. I wasn't gonna' fight with him. The mission was more important so I'd focus on that, but I'd be damned if I wasn't counting the days until this was all over and I'd never have to see him again.

Ludwig was smirking at me like he'd won something. I could see it in his green eyes; this was amusing him to no end, pushing my buttons and getting under my skin. I shook my head at him and he grinned widely.

"Well if your boy-toy's finished here we can leave." He announced.

I gave Daisy one last hug and murmured, "Good luck. Be safe. Don't do anything reckless; you can't help the princess unless you make sure you take care of yourself first, okay?"

"Yeah. I love you, Luigi." She spoke passionately.

"You know I love you, too. See you in a week."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, please leave a review! **

**In the next chapter, we'll see how the mission starts off. Mostly focusing on Daisy in the palace, with scenes of Ludwig in Sarasaland, Luigi with the kids, and of course our favorite Dark King. **

**Speaking of him, how do you think he'll react when he finds out about Mario's new tactic? **

**I still have a lot to tell in this story so stay tuned! **

**~DymondGold~**


	27. Chapter 27

**Thanks for all the attention and stuffs! You guys make me so very happy with your feedback :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

* * *

No matter how much she'd begged Ludwig to throw out the mute part of her fake backstory, he had refused to yield. In fact, he'd taken more liberty with the operation; as of right now, early this morning in the Dark King's palace, he was a she.

A _she. _

Ludwig had turned himself into a woman. A good-looking one at that. With his, er, her long, lustrous blonde hair, full lips, and dazzling grey eyes, he, er, she, was like the older, more illustrious version of Rose. Ludwig claimed this was another measure taken to ensure the success of the mission since she couldn't exactly speak for herself at the moment, but Daisy, er, Rose, felt herself get more and more self-conscious as she stood in the foyer of the palace. Part of her unease was due to Ludwig and his femme form, and part of it was from the court of magicians scrutinizing her every breath and eye twitch.

Ludwig had done his part, she had to give him that. He was some actor, barging up the steps to the palace with her in tow, demanding attention. The court of magicians, three total, had been fetched and from there they went no farther than the front doors.

Naturally the magicians wanted to know why they were here, and so Ludwig had lied about, er, explained how he, Luise, was getting married soon and was tired of being tied down by the younger, handicapped sister whom she'd raised since their father passed. They were from Sarasaland, but after the invasion they'd moved to the outskirts of the Badlands.

"So you aim to dump this waif onto our Majesty's doorstep?" one of the wizened old men stated, affronted.

'Luise' rolled her eyes and said, "She can earn her keep; cooking and cleaning are what she does best."

More scrutiny on the magicians' part. They were really doing more staring than talking, and when they did talk, they'd ask a question or say something condescending like just now. Daisy wrung her hands and kept her eyes on her feet. She was tired from the journey to the Badlands and just wanted to go to bed. Hungry as she was, she didn't even feel like eating; she was just that sleepy.

"If you don't mind," 'Luise' interjected amidst the silence, "I do have a wedding to plan. I'd like to get to it, if you don't mind, good sirs."

The magicians were quiet a moment more, then as one they nodded their assent.

"Very well," One of them spoke, "We'll have her shown to the servants' quarters."

"Good." 'Luise' smiled charmingly. "Now I must ask that my dear little sister escort me back to my coach before we part ways."

Ludwig's coach was nothing more than a boulder with an especially clever spell put over it so that it appeared to be a plain black carriage. The brown horses manning it were also illusions.

Daisy walked with this beautiful stranger back to the fake vehicle. It was late out, dark and chilly and foreboding. She didn't feel right at all being in this place. When they were behind the coach, Ludwig turned back into himself, doing away with the skirts and silky hair and porcelain skin so that he now donned his usual, tangled blue hair and sharp green eyes.

"That went well, right?" she asked.

"Hell no."

"What?"

Ludwig sighed and murmured, "Fun fact, Rosey; just because they're letting you stay doesn't mean you're off the hook. I'll bet my armor they didn't believe a word I told them."

Daisy frowned and said, "I...don't understand."

"It's okay," Ludwig told her, "just know that they don't trust you and will probably be watching you, so be on your guard."

She nodded.

He also remarked, "These magicians are keen, I can tell. It won't be long before they see through your henge."

"You say that so calmly," she frowned, "Shouldn't I be worried?"

"Not really," He assured her, "If in the event you find they're onto you, stick to the story and whatever you do, do _not _talk."

Daisy said, "I don't think I can do that, Ludwig."

He told her, "I know. So here's a little failsafe."

The lean young soldier took hold of Daisy's forearm and pushed a kiss onto her mouth. It wasn't intrusive or intimate, but it was something. Daisy didn't push him away or even react, that's how sudden and unexpected the move was. When he pulled back, Ludwig was smirking in a self-satisfied way. She glared at him.

"Don't pout, little Rose." He teased, "It's a charm; from now on, you really will be mute."

Daisy tried to tell him off for kissing her because she knew there had to be other ways he could have laid the charm, but as she did she found she could not speak. The thing had done its job and placed a block around her vocal cords so that whenever she tried to utter something, it felt like the air was rushing around them. This both reassured and frightened her.

Then Ludwig was nudging her in the direction of the castle, telling her to get back inside before the magicians changed their minds. She tried to speak all the way until she got to those doors. The charm was set. She really couldn't talk anymore.

_Failsafe is right, _she thought, _but that doesn't guarantee I won't mess up in some other way. Still, it's one less thing I have to worry about. _

"There you are," A woman declared.

The woman in white who'd spoken was the only one in the foyer, besides herself, Daisy noted.

_Good, those magicians must have left, _she thought.

This woman was a welcome sight compared to the tall old men. She was olive-skinned and at least a good four or five inches shorter than Daisy but her stern brown eyes and thin, red mouth spoke of authority. In her long-sleeved gown she strode towards Daisy.

"Well is this all of ya', then?" She asked.

Daisy frowned in confusion.

The woman asked, "Just the clothes on your back and your own skinny self? That's all ya' got?"

The brunette-turned-blonde nodded.

With a sigh the woman muttered, "Just like all the rest. Come with me, now."

She took Daisy's arm and guided her to the left, down a dark hall. Along the way she spoke gently to the girl, although it was her mistake to speak slowly as well, as if Daisy were handicapped in more ways than one.

"I'm the head over the kitchen staff, that's where you'll be working. You may call me Mistress. In the morning, I'll have one of the girls show you the ropes. Right now," She paused.

They'd gotten to one set of double doors, with another on the opposite side of the hall. This pair was shoved open by the diminutive woman.

_Whoa, _Daisy thought with raised brows, _she might be small, but she's got a lot of strength. _

"Go on in," Mistress told her, waving her into the crowded room.

There were cots everywhere, with little to no floorspace. She didn't know where to go. Everybody occupying the sheets were asleep and Daisy didn't want to disturb them by stepping on a hand or tripping over a leg. It appeared this room was full of girls, too, unless one of those people completely enshrouded in their blankets were males.

"Pepita," Mistress called out.

Apparently she didn't care who she woke with her loud, accented voice. The one called Pepita groaned loudly. Daisy couldn't pinpoint where it had come from since this 'Pepita' wasn't the only girl who'd not appreciated being woken up so early.

Mistress placed her fists on her hips and set her lips, her chocolate eyes narrowed.

"Pepita!" She called out firmly.

_"Go, Pepita!" _

_"Answer her, already!" _

_"Get up so she can stop hollering!_"

Those young women really wanted to get back to sleep. In the dark Daisy couldn't really see, but she guessed they were around her age, her _real _age, that is; mid-to-late twenties.

_Even younger than me, _Daisy mused.

The one called Pepita finally stood amongst the cranky young women but not quietly. Her groan of irritation sparked even more comments.

_"Pipe down, will you?" _

_"Stop being so melodramatic!" _

_"Ow, my hand!"_

_"Watch it, Pepita!" _

With her arms folded and her pale mouth scrunched in an agitated frown, this Pepita girl stood before the Mistress and Daisy.

She was definitely something.

Her figure was thick and curvy and her build was tall. She reminded Daisy of an Amazon woman, what with her height. Freckles dotted her arms and face, especially around her nose. Her eyes seemed black but that could've been the darkness making them look that way.

"Pepita, this is your new bed-mate," Mistress informed her, "Help her get on track."

"Bed mate?" Pepita squawked, much to the ire of the others in the room.

She continued with, "I don't have room for myself! Won't you ask Mina or one of the other, smaller girls?"

"I've asked _you_," Mistress said tersely, "And I'll not ask again. Now, to bed with the both of ya'."

Pepita huffed and rolled her eyes but said, "Yes, Mistress."

She took Daisy by the wrist and maneuvered through the maze of white-sheets and cots to get to the one designated as her own. Then she lay down and curled on her side.

_I see what she means, _Daisy noticed, _She's taking up a good bit already, and her legs don't even fit. _

It was true, Pepita's long legs were hanging off the end of the cot. Daisy felt bad for the girl but got onto the cot as well. It wasn't _that_ small. Pepita was just a really tall young woman. That being the case, Daisy had but one position, and that was also on her side, facing away from the girl and her thick red hair. She twisted and tried to make a pillow of her arms.

"Please stop squirming," Pepita murmured, half-asleep.

Daisy froze and found herself stuck in this uncomfortable position for the remainder of the night.

* * *

"Hey!"

"Hey, Blondie, wake up!"

"_Hey_!"

Daisy shuddered when slender hands had seized her shoulders and began to shake. She was glad for the charm that Ludwig put on her, because surely she'd have blown their cover with her startled shriek. She blinked and looked around.

Light.

That was the first thing she noticed. Loud noises were another. It looked like all the girls were getting up, folding their blankets and preparing themselves for the day. Pepita pried the blanket that she and Daisy shared from the younger-looking girl's hands and had it in thirds in mere seconds; her ease spoke of countless other times she must have done the simple chore.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," Pepita smiled warmly. "It's time to wake up."

Daisy was taken aback by how friendly the girl seemed now. She chalked it up to the late hour; being tired made everyone a little more cantankerous than usual. Now Pepita was all smiles as she stood above Daisy, _way _above Daisy.

"Mistress told me your name was Rose," She stated, "And she told me you can't talk. That's fine, I'll do enough jabbering for the both of us."

She stepped towards the bottom of the cot and fiddled with the items under there. There wasn't much, just a red bag and a pair of shoes. Pepita dug through the red bag and pulled a comb, then ran it through her long hair. It was down her back and no matter how much she combed, it went all wavy and awry. Upon looking around, Daisy saw the other girls had their private belongings under their cots as well. Also, she and Pepita weren't the only ones who shared a bed.

"Here you go," Pepita offered, holding the comb out to her.

Daisy took the object with a smile. Combing her hair was awkward since these blonde locks curved under her chin.

"You'll need to put this on, too." Pepita said, "And do hurry, I hate to rush but we need to be in the kitchen right about now."

The clothes that Pepita was handing her were white; an apron and a simple shift. Daisy knew of no place in private, so she assumed the older girl wanted her to change right here. Pepita's friendly but urgent smile was proof of that.

_Alright then. It's all girls here anyway, _Daisy told herself.

She stripped to her underwear and pulled on the shift quickly. Her body was strange to her, all skinny and flat and wrong. She couldn't wait until this was over and she could be herself once more.

"Let me help you with that," Pepita said.

She moved to tie the back of Daisy's apron. Once that was done, the two of them joined the herd of females heading to the kitchen. Daisy got her second look at the palace. The place seemed just as grand yet sinister as is had when she and Luigi had come to visit. She and Pepita strode rapidly past the staircase where Daisy remembered the guest rooms were, to the left through more double doors, past the dining room and into yet another set of double doors.

There, the kitchen lay.

It was a busy place. Everyone had a job to do and was doing it loudly, it would seem. Daisy felt overwhelmed in the doorway, watching them all. Pepita nudged her further into the room to make way for others coming in.

"Is there anything in particular you're good at doing?" She asked.

Daisy almost tried to speak; another moment where she was thankful for Ludwig's charm.

_I'm good at cooking, _she thought, _but how do I tell her that? _

In one corner of the kitchen, a hearty steak was being cooked. Daisy pointed to it and Pepita followed the path of her finger. The redhead then chuckled.

"Nuh-uh, sweetie," She smirked, "You don't want to do that; you see, the King likes his steaks cooked a certain way and, for several years now, that man over there is the one who makes them."

Pepita led Daisy over to the sink where a few dishes had already accrued.

"Here you go. Something nice and easy for your first day." Pepita said, then patted Daisy's shoulders.

The girl was lost in the hubbub of the kitchen workers then, leaving Daisy alone to get to work. She wished Pepita wouldn't have misinterpreted her; she'd much rather be doing something, anything else besides immersing her hands in warm water all day.

_But so begins the hard part of the mission, _she sighed.

* * *

If he had a stick he still wouldn't have been able to beat the smirk off his face at that moment. He had to admit things were going well, exceptionally so. The speech he gave to the people of Sarasaland was this morning had been positively received; in all four kingdoms. He was physically in Chai, but his clones, temporary concoctions of his wit and magic, had been sent to the other three kingdoms, that way he could give the same speech at the same time, relatively. This stunt took a wealth of concentration, but in the end it was worth it.

_And who said you couldn't be in more than one place at a time? _

The young man was being hailed as a long lost prince. He was here less than two weeks and already they were ready to hand over the proverbial keys of their cities to him. Legally, he checked out; the documents he'd had Daisy sign in combination with his smooth talking had taken care of any problems he'd have with the government of Sarasaland. Once that was done, all he had to do was win the people over. He had a lot to work with, but he mainly used his words.

So many things he'd promised without actually promising. As of now, the people were under the impression that things would get better from here on out. He was young, charismatic, charming, and enigmatic. That alone was enough for half the population to fall in love with him. As for the rest, he told of such things like increased national security, of stability and prosperity. Things they all wanted to hear. He also let them know of his plans to strengthen the armies so that no one would be able to stand against the kingdoms ever again.

At the end of the crisis that was Tatanga's invasion, these people were broken and uncertain of their future. They clung to Ludwig's words, ate them up and licked the plate, so to speak. He knew this trust was a necessary part of fulfilling his true purpose.

_I've got them where I want them, _Ludwig mused, _Now it's time to make things happen. _

* * *

Something is going on. Lately this girl has been glued to my hip, and although she hasn't been annoying me or anything, it's quite odd. One minute I'll be digging through the fridge, looking for a snack to fix for Lemmy and Larry, and then I'd shut the door and there's Wendy. Or I'd get up from the couch and go to the bathroom and come back to see her sitting where I'd been.

It was unnerving.

So when I was outside in my jacket and a blanket, watching Larry destroy his little brother in a snowball fight, I addressed the young girl beside me. The way she dressed was also becoming a problem. Like now; she was dressed in some more of her favorite tight pants, these a bright canary yellow with baby blue hearts all over them. Her shirt was no better. It was also tight in all the places they ought not be, and to make matters worse, the shiny baby blue fabric was totally backless, save for the strip at the base of her back and the tie behind her neck. Her hair was piled up high so the view of her creamy, unblemished skin was in plain sight. Bare were her feet in this arctic weather but it didn't bother her as she sipped at a soft drink from the fridge.

Her and her brothers were in their natural forms once again. After Ludwig left, they all switched back. I wasn't gonna' question that, but I just couldn't let this behavior go unchecked in Wendy, it wasn't becoming.

_Not to mention if her brother catches her dressed this way; he'll most likely find some way to blame **me.**_

"Wendy, can I talk to you?" I asked. "In private?"

Both Lemmy and Larry had exceptional hearing and swiveled their colorful heads in our direction.

"About what?" she asked innocently.

"Let's go somewhere private first," I advised.

She blinked and said, "Okay then."

Her brothers ran over to me.

"Weegie, is Wen in trouble?"

"Did she do something bad?"

I shooed them away, told them to keep playing. Then I guided Wendy back into the bunker. On the couch I laid the frigid blanket and rubbed my cold hands together. How those kids could stand playing out there for so long with no jacket whatsoever was beyond me.

In the kitchen Wendy stood in front of the fridge and stared at me expectantly.

"What did you want to talk about?" She asked.

I said, "Look, lately you've been-"

"Everybody make way! The champion is comin' through! That's right: he's pumped up and ready to GOO!"

There was only one person in this place with a mouth that big; Morton. He was hoopin' and hollerin' with his older brother in tow. Roy must've just finished working out, or was taking a food break more likely, because he as flexing and showing off his muscles while MJ hyped him up. They danced their way to the kitchen and carried their boisterous enthusiasm with them.

"Yo Wen, get out the way!" Roy said, shoving his sister to the side.

She shoved him right back and said, "You get out the way! We were here first."

Roy then got this cocky grin on his face. He roved his bright green eyes over his younger sister and then me, then started to chuckle.

"Uh, pardon me, baby sis. Didn't know you and your uh, boyfriend were chattin' it up." He taunted.

Wendy blushed.

Meanwhile, Roy took the jug of what looked like a sports drink out the fridge and started swiggin' it straight from the spout. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, topped the beverage back up and stuck it on a shelf in the fridge. I rolled my eyes.

_Well I know what I **won't** be touching. _

"So here's the deal, yo," Roy smirked, "I"mma' grab some eats, then I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."

"Shut up, Roy." Wendy snapped, "Luigi and I were just talking."

Morton chirped, "About what, dear sister? Your super-mega crush on him? Your undying love for the one that is Luigi? Your utter affection towards-"

"Shut up!" She cried, "You don't know what you're talking about!"

Roy said, "I think I do, Wen. I see how you look at him."

"Roy," She warned.

"Wearin' those tight pants."

"Roy, if you don't shut your mouth right now, I'll-"

"That shirt with all ya' back out."

Wendy took the water from the sink and used it to form a whip, which she then cracked against the side of her brother's head. He didn't even flinch. In fact, he laughed. She slapped him again with the water, harder this time. Now he rubbed the afflicted area and scowled.

"Don't get mad at me, ya brat!" He griped. "I'm only sayin' the truth!"

Morton said, "Luigi, didn't you tell us the other day not to use our abilities against each other?"

I again cut my eyes. "Yeah, I did say that, but you two were antagonizing your sister; you got what you deserved. And besides, if you'd have let the water out from the dishes you washed earlier Roy, you wouldn't be in pain right now."

The pink-haired boy narrowed his eyes and said, "Whatever, yo."

He and MJ started rummaging around the kitchen for food, the matter already forgotten. I wasn't surprised. These kids bickered several times a day. That's mainly why I imposed the rule in the first place.

"You still wanna' talk?" Wendy asked me quietly.

I nodded.

"Then let's go to my room where no one will hear us." She suggested.

At that Roy smirked and winked at her, but wisely held back any remark on what she'd said.

Wendy led me this time, from the kitchen into her bedroom. She let me inside and then shut and locked the door behind her. Then she gestured to the bed.

"Have a seat," She told me sweetly.

I did so, gingerly. This room was like the inside of a tween magazine; there was pink everywhere. The walls were a pastel shade of the color, the carpet was beige, and her bed was hot pink and yellow. The dresser on the opposite wall was long and short and had a pink cloth draped over the length of it. Atop it were all kinds of knick-knacks like glass figurines, a pair of silk white gloves, bundles of fabric, a white sewing machine, and dozens of items that belied her girlish innocence. Near the door was a wooden vanity, complete with a full-sized mirror. Besides a bunch of makeup there were bottles of perfume, pins and needles, and an assortment of jewelry.

Wendy moved over to the nightstand and turned off the black radio there. Next she sat down on the bed beside me with both feet crossed.

"Okay Wendy." I began, "What I wanted to talk to you about was."

"The way I dress?" She supplied.

I said slowly, "Uh, yeah that, too. But I wanna' know why you're always so close to me?"

She flushed and looked down, fidgeting with her hands. I didn't mean to ask that. I already knew why she was like a shadow to me; she had a crush. No harm in that.

"I mean, I know why you're always around me." I explained.

Wendy gazed at me nervously. "You do?"

"Nothing wrong with liking someone, Wendy." I told her.

She seemed relieved to hear this.

"But I'm twenty-six." I continued, "I don't want there to be any confusion, okay?"

I was trying to say, without saying, that there would never be anything between us. The girl blinked after I'd spoken, and then nodded.

"Yeah, uh, yeah. I understand." She stammered.

I smiled. "Good."

She was giving off the vibes of hurt. I didn't want to hurt her, I just really didn't want to deal with her brother.

"You're a beautiful girl, Wendy. I'm sure that when you get a little bit older, you'll meet somebody real special." I told her.

Wendy smiled a little and whispered, "Thanks, Luigi. Maybe I will. When I get over there."

She meant my world, I assumed. This girl was dead-set on getting over there. So far she was the only one of her siblings that wanted to go.

"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" She asked.

I shook my head. "You gotta' stop wearing those tight clothes."

"What?"

"If your brother comes back and sees you in them, he's gonna have it out for me," I explained.

She pouted and said, "That's not fair. I wear these clothes because they're my own, I made them and I like them."

"I can understand that," I said, "But please. At least wear decent shirts. I really don't want to hear his mouth."

Wendy sighed. "Okay, Luigi. I know what you mean. He's such a prick sometimes."

"Hey," I admonished, "You shouldn't say things like that."

_But you're right; you're so damn right, _I could've added.

She shrugged her shoulders, "It's true. Sometimes he finds anything to get on my case about."

"I see. Has he always been that way?" I asked.

"Pretty much. I sorta' remember a time, long ago, when we were all...different..." She trailed off with a faraway gaze.

Then she shook her head and said, "But since we've been in this bunker, he acts like he owns us all or something."

That was strange. I wonder what she was trying to remember. Maybe the time where they were all Koopas, serving under Bowser? What had happened since then?

"He's so controlling," Wendy kept raving.

She hugged a stuffed bear that looked home-sewn to her chest and rested her chin on its head.

"You know he told me to stay away from you?" She huffed.

That explained a lot, actually. Wendy could be quite defiant when it came to Ludwig. If he told her to do something, she was so rebellious she'd do the opposite. I didn't remember being that bad when I was her age, so maybe it's an issue between the two of them?

_He doesn't have to worry about that, though. I wouldn't dare touch a young girl. And besides, I have somebody to love; speaking of her, how is she doing? Is she safe? _

I couldn't wait for this week to be over so that I could see her again. Being in the Mushroom Kingdom where Daisy was only a short walk from the palace away had spoiled me. Now I couldn't stand being away from her for even a handful of days.

* * *

In the time that she'd been away from him, Daisy thought more and more about Luigi. Earlier in the day, she'd been working and trying to get into the swing of things, but now, late at night, she was the only one in the kitchen and her thoughts were wandering. Everyone else had gone to bed but she was still doing dishes. That, sweeping the floors, and wiping the counters were her chores. She was surprised it had taken her so long to complete the tasks, but that could be attributed to that fact that she'd been daydreaming a lot today. She really couldn't get him out of her head.

Luigi, that is. She loved him and she missed him already. In her mind she was going over the details of their last moments together. Immediately she started to blush. The way she'd acted was inappropriate for the time and place, like Luigi said, but she couldn't help herself. Being around him was enough to get her acting out of sorts, especially when he started talking so sweetly like he did. The kiss was all she'd intended to do, but one thing had led to another and she'd gotten carried away. She still remembered the taste of his skin in her mouth from when she'd kissed his jaw, his neck.

_I can't believe I did all that, _she bemoaned.

But what was worst was that she wanted to do more than that, much more. That's what made her blush. She wanted to give her all to this man because she'd never loved anyone like she did him, and she could tell he loved her too. He'd said it so many times, and if she ever needed anything he was there. The fact that he kept turning her down, insistent on waiting 'til they were alone and in private, probably even married, before he touched her spoke volumes about how he felt about her.

"You missed a spot."

"Ah!"

Daisy was surprised, both at the low, smooth voice in her ear and the lean body against her back to go with it. She cried out, audibly, and dropped the plate she was washing back into the soapy water.

"I can talk?" She frowned, then spun around to face her intruder.

There was Ludwig, standing way too close with his hands on the sink on either side of her. He dipped his head down low and brushed his lips past hers.

"Yes, for now," He murmured, "But if you want to remain silent, that can be arranged."

Daisy pushed against his chest because he was doing weird things to her body right about then. She blamed her earlier thoughts of Luigi for her current, er, excitement?

"Stay over there," She warned quietly.

He smirked. "Good evening to you, too, Rose."

"Be quiet!" She whispered, "Somebody might hear you. Why did you come anyway?"

"Did you forget already?" He asked.

That was all it took for her to remember their agreement. She then looked around tentatively.

"Someone might see us, or hear us."

"Then let's make this quick."

Daisy sighed, "I started my chores today. Just cleaning, sweeping. I haven't done much. The magicians were watching me. Um, I guess that's all."

Ludwig was silent as he surveyed her from across the kitchen. He leaned on an island and drummed his fingers against his crossed arms. At his silence, she felt compelled to say something more.

"I haven't really been out of the kitchen," Daisy admitted.

"...How disappointing." Ludwig remarked at last.

That was a stinging remark for Daisy. She immediately felt herself get defensive.

"This is my first day!" She cried, then in a lower tone asked, "What did you expect?"

"More than this." Was his curt reply.

"Well I'm sorry I fell short," She hissed back.

He tilted his head and said, "You should be. If you want this mission to succeed, you'll have to do better."

"How?" She snapped.

He said, "Get out of the kitchen and spy. That's what you were sent here to do."

"I'll get caught."

"Not if you're careful," He assured her.

Daisy said, "If I go places the king will be, he might see me."

"You're new, _Rose_, and you're mute. They're not gonna' kill you. If anything, they'll think you got lost or something."

"I don't know if that's a good idea, though." She said hesitantly.

"You wanna' be here forever?"

Daisy quieted. No, she didn't want to be here forever, but she felt like the enforcer was rushing her to do the impossible.

Ludwig pushed himself off of the island and stalked towards her. She stepped back near the sink, unsure of what he was about to do. All he did was put a glowing finger up to her throat, effectively sealing off her voice once more.

* * *

Singed. Roughly eight miles of land, charred coal black. It wasn't too big a casualty, seeing as how these were barren parts along the outskirts of the Badlands, not crop soil or anything valuable like that, but still. It was the principal of the matter.

No one attacked the Dark King.

Said king was surveying the damage, stepping on burnt grass and bits of carnage as he walked. Yes, there was a bit of a mess. Some of his border guards had gotten blown up by whatever it was that damn plumber was using.

_Joke's on him, _the king smirked, _he just killed his own race. _

Under all their armor, the guards didn't look human but they were. Humans were disposable, Bowser found, so he put them on the front lines and on border patrol. He couldn't spare his Koopa, they were too elite. In cases like this, however, the humans were easily destroyed, but also easily replaced since there were so many living under his command. There was a time when he was kidnapping them from the other world, but now they'd multiplied and made up a large portion of his population. First he just put them to work in his palace, but he soon found other uses for them.

_Especially the...females, _he thought with a dirty smirk.

It had been a while since he'd taken one of his little mortal tarts to bed, what with his marriage to his favorite princess. And while thinking of her, he found himself smirking.

_Poor little Peach is still trying to resist, _he knew, _but it won't be long before she gives in to me. I can tell, every time I touch her, or even just look at her the right way, she wants me. But not as bad as I want her. _

And he would have her, he promised himself he would. Right now he was giving her a chance to yield to him. He slept in the bed with her since they've been married but he willed himself not to do more than force a kiss on her or cop a feel every now and then.

_And damn if this restraint isn't wearing on me, _he thought. _But it'll pay off real soon. _

"Your Royal Badness, Sir?"

Bowser jerked his head in the direction of one of his informants, one he'd sent to assess the damage.

"What is it?" He barked.

The informant said, "Judging from the aftermath, I've come to the conclusion that the enemy used some sort of long-range artillery."

Bowser sneered. _So the plumber wants to get smart on me, does he? I'll teach his sorry ass how to **really** play dirty. _

* * *

Okay, when she'd said she wanted to do anything other than washing dishes and sweeping floors, she didn't mean this; this, as in chopping vegetables and peeling potatoes. The task was even more boring and repetitive than her last, hands down.

_But hey, at least it's a step up, _she thought dismally, _maybe soon I'll be allowed to cook. _

She was hopeful. After three days of working in the kitchen, she had fallen into a routine. She would arrive with Pepita and head to the sink, unless someone had a task they wanted her to perform. So far she was just chopping and peeling, and cleaning up whatever mess that happened to occur. She felt like she was in the way if she weren't doing those things.

The people in the kitchen were all human, which was strange. How did they get here? Where did they come from? It was obvious they weren't native to the Badlands, or even the Mushroom World. Perhaps they were from the same world as Luigi and his older brother.

_If only I could talk; I'd ask them so much, _She thought.

But that's not why she was here, she had to remind herself that all the time. Like when Pepita made a sassy joke and she smiled and thought of making a few of her own. She was here on a mission so she had to get serious. For her part, she'd tried sneaking around after everyone left but the door had made so much noise and the girls had begun to wake and ask questions. She had chickened out and went back to bed. On her second attempt just yesterday, she snuck off during a break in her work and had gotten lost.

_This time I'll be smarter, _she vowed.

She set her metal carver down next to the stack of potatoes she'd yet to finish peeling and left her work. The head chef, making his rounds, caught her eyes as she approached him. He was almost always free since his only real job was to supervise and of course, make the king's steaks in the morning.

"What can I do for you, Rose?" He asked congenially.

Daisy was stuck. _How do I ask to go to the, uh, bathroom without talking? _

She pondered this nervously, vaguely realizing that it was better she ask now before she actually did have to go. She knew where it was, Pepita had taken her yesterday, she just needed permission.

"What do you need, my dear?" The kindly man asked again.

She mouthed 'bathroom' very slowly and pointed to her crotch in embarrassment; oh the things she did for the sake of this operation. He immediately got the picture and raised a brow.

"Oh," He murmured, "I see. Pepita!"

I learned over time that everyone tended to call on Pepita. The twenty-eight year old was skilled at baking and knew her way around the kitchen. She was like the Mistress' second-in-command. Now she came bounding through the myriad of servants over to us.

"Rose needs to ah, relieve herself." The head chef explained.

Pepita frowned, "You don't remember where I took you yesterday?"

Daisy nodded.

"Yes, you remember, or yes, you don't remember?" Pepita asked with a wry smile.

Daisy nodded once more.

"You remember?"

Another nod.

"Oh. Okay. Well, be back soon, those potatoes aren't gonna potate themselves, you know!" She smiled.

There she was, making another joke. As Daisy left the busy kitchen, she could tell she and Pepita would have gotten along grandly if they'd met under...different circumstances. She was spunky and fun to be around, and good at distracting Daisy from her worries with her lighthearted talk. She did talk an awful lot.

The way she was going was in the opposite direction of the bathroom. Daisy passed the dining room and came to the throne room, where she then waited for a company of soldiers to leave from some room downstairs out the front doors of the castle. After they'd gone, she darted towards the eastern wing. That was where the king's bedroom was. She got to the beginning of the hall and stayed ducked around the corner. She'd gotten lucky today, because a certain someone was walking back to her room.

Peach.

The princess moved as a ghost in her white, form-fitting short dress of satin and lace. This was the first time since Daisy had been here that she'd seen the princess. From what she'd heard around the kitchen, she didn't come out of that room or take meals very often. And judging by the two Koopas escorting her, she'd say the princess was under tight surveillance.

Daisy frowned_. I've finally seen her, that's good, but how am I supposed to get next to her with those guards? _

While she'd been wondering about these things, the princess slipped back into the bedroom. The sound of the door shutting alerted her to this fact. The Koopas stood posted on either side of the entrance. She could see she'd not be making any headway at the moment, so she decided to get back to the kitchen.

* * *

Her attempt at espionage yesterday had turned sour when she was caught in the eastern wing by the three magicians. Later in the day she'd gone back, when there weren't any guards, and they'd seen her. They asked her some questions, she'd remained suspiciously silent, and after some hard stares and contemptuous remarks, they'd told her to get back to the kitchens. She'd happily obliged, of course, but she knew that encounter wasn't good. The magicians already didn't trust her, now they'd found her in the eastern wing, dangerously close to the Dark King's bedroom. If they weren't watching her before, they definitely were now.

_Ludwig wasn't kidding when he said they were a creepy bunch, _She shuddered.

But now it was night. After a long day of working, she was ready to bathe and squeeze onto the cot next to Pepita and get a semblance of a good night's rest. However, something happened in the next instance that prevented her from doing that.

Someone grabbed her from behind.

She would have screamed if she could but both the charm and the person's hand over her mouth stopped her. An arm circled her waist and she struggled against her unknown assailant.

"Be still," A familiar voice commanded next to her ear.

She shivered at the sensation of Ludwig's mouth ghosting over the shell of her ear but did as he said nonetheless. He then teleported them both to a new location. Not the dark hall, but a place outside. Somewhere cool and surrounded by hedges. Someplace with cobbled stone grounds, smooth rock benches, and a giant, gaudy statue of.

_Oh no, _she thought, _not here._

Here was where she and Luigi had. She blushed. Not even in her mind she could think of that time because it wasn't Luigi's body against her back, it was that cocky enforcer. He noticed her blush and unease and smirked.

"What's the matter, Rose?" He teased.

She pulled away from him and said, "Stop sneaking up on me!"

"What news do you have?" He asked, ignoring her demand.

She took a seat on the bench and said, "I left the kitchens today and went to the war room. There I overheard the king say he's headed out soon, but I didn't get much more than that."

"How soon?" Ludwig pressed.

"I don't know."

"Where is he going?"

"I...don't know." She admitted.

Ludwig was silent but she got the distinct feeling that he was not pleased with her. And here she'd been excited after her first successful attempt to garner information.

"Don't look at me like that," She told him, "Those magicians are onto me."

"Hold them off." Was all the young man said.

"It's not that easy," She snapped.

_I'd like to see him do better, _she thought in mild anger.

Ludwig said, "What about the Princess; did you make contact with her?"

"No. She stays to herself most of the day."

That face the enforcer was making just shouted 'disappointment'.

Daisy said, "I do know she shares a room with Bowser in the eastern wing and is guarded by Koopas. From what I've seen, she's being well-taken care of."

"Of course she is; she's his prize." Ludwig replied tiredly.

He ran his hands over his face and shook his head. Then he regarded the blonde girl sitting rigidly on the bench in front of that lurid statue. She gazed at him nervously. He was beginning to lose faith in this little woman. She was letting him down.

"What is it?" She asked.

He shrugged, "Nothing, really. Just trying to figure out how you've been here for four days and this is all you have to show for."

Daisy stood and stalked towards him. That was the last straw. She was sick of him belittling her. This was the first time she'd ever done something like this, she was no ninja after all, and yet he was putting her down with each visit.

"Can you get off my back?" She cried, "I'm doing my best."

"You can do better."

She scoffed, "You have mighty high expectations of me. It's gonna' take some time before I get you all the information you want."

"How much time do you think you have?" He asked her.

Daisy quieted. Ludwig had a knack for taking the fight out of her and leaving her wordless sometimes. In this instance, like the other, he used her silence to replace the charm over her throat.

"In case you weren't aware," He said before leaving, "we're working on borrowed time here."

* * *

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading, folks! Don't hesitate to leave a review!**

**By the way, if you haven't noticed by now, more reviews=more updates, so go ahead, tell me what you think of t****he story thus far, or leave your predictions for the future of the plot, or tell what you think about...**

**The relationship between Daisy/Luigi **

**or Daisy/Ludwig **

**or Bowser/Peach **

**or Mario/Peach**

**or Wendy/Luigi**

**or Luigi/Ludwig **

**lol at the last two. But seriously, review! And stay tuned for more! **

**~DymondGold~**


	28. Chapter 28

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

* * *

Never again would Daisy forget to count her blessings while she had them; while she'd scorned her petty work doing dishes and sweeping floors and chopping vegetables, she now knew those things were nothing compared to what she had to do now.

This morning she'd woken of her own accord, got dressed, and walked with Pepita down to the kitchens. She knew something was off as soon as they got to their usual stations; her at the sink and Pepita near the barrels of wine. It took Daisy a moment, but she soon realized what was wrong: the smell of fresh meat was missing. Usually she could smell it on the grill every morning but not today. Today, the head chef was missing, so consequently no steak was being made.

And that had caused a tizzy.

"Where is he?" someone shouted.

"Sick," another person called out.

"Whaddya' mean he's sick?"

"He can't get sick!"

Pepita rolled her eyes and so did Daisy. The chef was only human, he could fall prey to illness just like everyone else. But the former princess knew what that person was saying; the head chef had an important job to do. For him to just up and get sick was a near travesty.

"The king is gonna' be sooo mad!"

"Does anybody know how to cook that steak?"

There were resounding 'no's and 'of course not's and 'do you know how long he's been making them's. Things were descending into a chaotic cacophony at a fast rate. Finally, someone intervened. The shortest woman in the kitchen stood on a wooden barstool and rapped a metal spoon against a pan. The loud clanging got everyone's attention effectively.

"Enough!" Mistress shouted. "Pepita!"

The redhead sighed but made her way over to the head of staff obediently.

"Yes, Mistress?" She spoke.

Mistress pointed at Daisy and started talking to her subordinate in a tone that the undercover spy couldn't hear. She knew she was the topic of interest, and that sort of worried her. Soon Pepita nodded and strode back over to her.

"Come with me, Rose," She said.

Pepita hadn't really given her a choice, though, because she took Daisy by the hand and led her over to the grill. It was just as Daisy feared; she was going to be involved in this debacle. She now regretted her first mistake, when she'd been asked about her skills and had pointed to the steak. She was paying for that mistake now.

"I remember what you said the first day," Pepita confirmed, "You think you could give this a try?"

Daisy didn't know what to say, er, how to respond to that. If she agreed, she might mess up and invoke the king's ire. But if she refused, someone else would have to take over and then the wrath would fall upon them. She didn't want that. These people in the kitchen had grown on her, she would hate if anything happened to them when she knew she could have done something to prevent it.

"Well?" Pepita asked again.

Daisy nodded.

"Good," Pepita smiled in relief, "If you need anything, you know where I am. Good luck!"

Again she nodded and watched the taller young woman leave. Now things were up to her. Daisy found herself getting nervous already. The pressure of making this thing just right was setting in.

_Just gotta' keep a clear head, _she thought, _I know how to cook, how hard can this be? _

Not too hard, she soon discovered. In her spare time, she'd watch the head chef prepare this meal. Now that she was doing it, she surprised herself at how much she remembered from viewing him. She couldn't help but make a few changes, though, like add a different combination of seasonings. She also tenderized the meat, something the head chef hadn't done. Instead of using the grill, which she had no clue how to operate, Daisy opted for a pan and the huge oven. This way was a lot faster. In no time at all, she was finished.

_It smells good, _Daisy thought hesitantly to herself. She only hoped it tasted good as well. She slid the meat onto a plate and put it on the counter for someone to take to the king. That's when Pepita came through the doors with a bottle of wine, having probably just poured the king his morning glass, and tapped her on her shoulder.

"You made that, sweetie, go out and take it to him." She said.

Daisy frowned. Wasn't it bad enough she had to cook the thing and risk his displeasure? Now she had to go out and face him, too? She really didn't want the king to see her if she could help it. It would be best if he didn't even know she existed.

_So much for that, _she huffed.

She could do nothing more than heft the plate from the counter and stride out of the kitchen, past the double doors, out to deliver her creation. As soon as she saw him, her legs buckled and she stopped in her tracks. He was there, in casual clothing, slouched in his seat at the head of the ornate table. His hair was down and wild and fiery red, his eyes half-lidded with boredom. The black vest he had on was open, showing off his muscular upper body.

_Did he...always look like this? _She wondered, _No way he was always this..._

Handsome was the mildest thing on her mind at the moment. She now had a whole new respect for Princess Peach, or any other woman who could resist _that _on a daily basis. The king was too much.

_It's always the evil ones, _she noted to herself. _Well, except for Luigi. I mean, I haven't seen this much of him, but I bet he. _

She had to stop herself right there. She was losing focus and if she didn't get back on track in the next instant, the steak would get cold and then she'd really be in trouble. So Daisy swallowed hard and rolled her shoulders back. In the sleeveless white shift, those goosebumps shown prominently on her bare arms. She ignored them and kept her chin up, eyes straight, as she walked over to the Dark King.

Without a word, not that she could speak, she set the plate down in front of him. He immediately sat up straight with his legs wide open and started to dig in. His first bite in, he chewed quickly at first, then slowed and narrowed his jade eyes.

_Uh-oh, _Daisy thought. _He must know it's not the same steak he's used to eating. _

She tried to inch away from him, tried to get back to the kitchen, but suddenly Bowser seized her by the wrist.

Daisy thought she would be sick. It was one thing to ogle the king from afar, shamed as she was to admit it, but being up close, right there next to him was terrifying. Her heart was pounding and she didn't know what he was going to do. He was holding her wrist in a grip that wasn't too tight, but just tight enough to keep her right where she was.

While he held her, he steadily chewed. His eyes were still narrowed as if he were trying to decipher every pinch of salt and drop of butter she'd put into that steak. Finally he swallowed, finally he spoke.

"Who made this?" He asked in a low voice.

Her tongue was so heavy in her mouth she doubt she could have spoken if the charm were there or not. With a trembling hand, she pointed to herself.

The king was not used to being ignored, so he turned from his meal to the young girl in his grip.

"You made this?" He asked, his eyes speaking of disbelief.

Daisy nodded.

Then the king gazed at her even more critically. Daisy wanted to run, to hide from those intrusive gold-flecked eyes. Something occurred to him and caused his lips to pull back in a smirk.

"I remember you," He murmured.

_No! _Her mind was reeling and her heart was beating so hard against her ribs that she thought they'd break. As for her throat, it was closing up, it had to be. Why else would it feel so tight and pinched? Now she was trembling all over.

The Dark King drawled, "You're the little mute girl my Magicians told me about."

And just like that she felt this pleasurable wave of relief wash over her. _He doesn't know, _she would have breathed aloud, _he doesn't know. Thank goodness! _

He still hadn't let her wrist go, though. So hot was his palm against her skin, but it was also dry, not sweaty like she'd expect. It was strange and unsettling. Although she was relieved, her nerves were still raw from this encounter and she wanted it to be over so she could get back to the safety of the kitchen.

On his third bite, the Dark King stated, "From now on, I want you to prepare my morning meal. Understand?"

He met her eyes and waited for a reply that wouldn't come. Daisy nodded and even bowed so as not to offend him. Oh, she understood, alright. She understood that she'd just called attention to herself and made her mission a whole lot more complicated.

_And there goes keeping a low-profile, _She lamented.

* * *

Someway, somehow, the news of her 'promotion' got out and everybody was looking at her strangely. Most of the servants congratulated her, but a few of them knew better. Those few were the ones who looked upon her with pity. They knew the pressure associated with such a task. The head chef hadn't minded in slightest, much to her delight. She thought he'd be upset since she'd taken his job but when she and Pepita told him as they went to check on him, he told Daisy that if she ever needed his assistance he'd be there for her.

Daisy just wished she could do the morning over. If she knew the king was going to react like that, maybe she wouldn't have volunteered.

_No, I still would have, _she knew. _And it's already done, so oh well. I still have a mission to fulfill. _

And that's why she had snuck away from her duties later on in the day, around noon. It really couldn't be called sneaking anymore since no one seemed to care or notice that she was leaving. There were so many people that her absence hardly mattered. That was good, just what she needed.

Daisy wiped her hands on her apron and hurried to the king's study. She knew where it was by now, and she also knew he spent a good deal of time there. Not around noon, though. Around this time, she knew he was usually with his soldiers. She had taken Ludwig's caustic advice and had been getting out the kitchen as much as she could. This observing gave her a lot of insight on the king's behavior, but it came at the expense of several people in the kitchen thinking she had some kind of bladder disorder.

There was hardly anyone in the halls, thankfully, so Daisy had no problem getting into the study. The oak door was open, and she saw the desk full of paperwork upon entering the room. Behind the desk were shelves of books that she doubted the arrogant king had read. She ignored those and crossed the room so that she was in front of the cluttered desktop.

_All these papers, _she mused, _I wonder if there's anything in here about his leaving in a few days. _

She rummaged through them carefully. The room was built without windows, so she didn't have to worry about anyone seeing her, so long as the door was closed. She rifled through legal documents and grievance forms and tax waivers; there was nothing in there about his impending trip, though.

_Click! _

Daisy froze. She was not mistaken. That noise was the sound of someone turning the handle. She cursed her luck. No matter how much she tried, it seemed she was doomed to fail at this spying gig. She didn't know where to go and she didn't have much time, so she ducked under the hollow desk and tried not to shake too bad.

Several people entered the room and shut the door behind them. Daisy drew her knees up to her chest and sat on the carpet as far back against the cold wood as she could. To her horror, one of those people came to stand in front of the desk. She couldn't tell from the black pants and sleek boots that had a chain on them, but if she had to guess she'd say it was the Dark King himself.

_This isn't too bad, then, _she thought, _maybe I can get some intel out of this experience. If I don't get caught, that is. _

The Dark King leaned his hands on the top of the desk, giving the girl beneath him a decent view of his abs.

_His sinfully toned abs, _she thought guiltily.

"There is something strange about her, milord."

_I know that voice! That's one of the old magicians! That's who's here with the king? I wonder what they want, _she frowned.

She soon got her answer.

"Something strange, indeed." Another of the old men chimed.

Bowser said, "The mute one, right?"

"Precisely." One magician said.

"If she's even mute," another remarked.

Daisy's fears were being confirmed. _They really don't trust me. _

Another of the magicians explained, "We've caught her outside the kitchens, in very peculiar locations."

"We suspect that she may be a spy."

_Oh no, _Daisy thought with wide eyes, _they figured it out already! _

Bowser scoffed and said, "She's barely out of childhood, a wisp of a girl. What harm could she do?"

"A lot, Your Majesty."

"Especially if she's preparing your food, sire."

"She could poison you!"

The king laughed. "Poison _me_? I doubt it."

Daisy thanked whatever god or deity over her for the Dark King's insurmountable arrogance. He wasn't taking his court seriously and for that she was grateful. He and the magicians all started moving, she assumed towards the door. While they did so, she caught the king moving on to another topic.

He said, "While you three are worrying about this little girl, did you finish those ledgers?"

With reluctance, one of the court answered, "Of course, sire."

"Good," Bower declared, "I'm leaving for CandyCorn Kingdom in four days, I want things to be settled here before I do."

She waited for the sound of the door slamming shut before releasing a breath. Two close-calls in one day was more than enough excitement for her. She crawled out from under the desk and hurried to the door. After peeking through the crack to make sure the coast was clear, she ran from the study down to the kitchen. She almost made it, but she ran into someone in the dining room.

Ludwig.

His arms around her was the only thing that kept her from losing her balance after the collision. He held her with a cocky smirk and teleported them to the throne room.

While she gathered her bearings, he took a seat on the king's throne. In that moment, with one of his legs draped over the arm of the chair, she likened him to King Bowser. She suddenly realized that they had a lot in common. Particularly their devilish good looks and self-assured attitude.

"What are you doing?" Daisy asked.

She knew that whenever the blue-haired magician was around, she was able to talk. He gazed at her lazily.

"Seeing if you have anything for me."

"You're early this time."

"I caught a break."

"What if somebody comes in here? I just saw the king a minute ago."

Ludwig conjured a white rag and tossed it to her.

"Then I'll disappear and you'll continue to clean like your superiors told you," He instructed smoothly.

"Why are you sitting in his throne?" She then asked.

She pretended not to be astounded at his sheer cunning, at the way he had those alibi's at the ready all the time.

Ludwig said confidently, "Does it matter? It'll be mine one day anyway."

Daisy wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but her anxiety prevailed. She didn't want any more run-ins with the court or the king.

"Okay, um, well I found out that Bowser is going to the Mushroom Kingdom in four days."

"Oh?" Ludwig asked, interested. "Did he say if he's attacking or securing his men around their borders or staging an assassination or what?"

Daisy blinked, "Um. No."

"How many men is he taking?"

"He didn't say."

Ludwig gazed at her evenly. "I see."

"Ludwig, something happened earlier. Well, the head chef was sick, and he's the one that fixes the king's steaks, and he's been doing that for years so the others in the kitchen didn't know what to do and I sort of, um, volunteered to make it and then the King, he told me that he wants me to fix them from now on."

The enforcer shook his head. "Ah. You poor, stupid girl. You do realize you've made a target of yourself, don't you?"

The words stung but Daisy refused to show as much. She held her back straight and crossed her arms.

"I _know _that, Ludwig. But I can't do anything about it now. Besides, that's not all; the magicians warned him about me. They know I'm a spy and they don't think I'm really mute."

"And how did he react to this news?"

"He laughed at them."

"I would imagine he did," The young man smirked. "You're gonna' have to stop snooping around, though. Stick to the kitchen."

"But I thought you said-"

"Forget what I said. His court are keener than I gave them credit for, so it's best if you avoid putting yourself in any suspicious situations."

"Alright." She nodded.

"And since I can't depend on you anymore, I'll be taking matters into my own hands." He stated.

Daisy scrunched her mouth in aggravation. "What do you mean by that?"

Ludwig climbed off the throne and sauntered over to her. He circled her quickly, making her duck her head and turn her body to face him. He was waiting for that, because when she did, he pecked her lips with his own. Then he had to leap back to dodge her hand that was trying to smack him in retaliation.

_I told him not to do that! _she thought, since she couldn't speak anymore.

"To answer your question, Rose," He grinned, "The less you know, the better."

* * *

The next day was easier than the last. Daisy didn't need to be told twice to lay low. She cooked the king's steak in much the same way as she had previously, but when it came time for her to carry it out, she got nervous all over again. Pepita stopped by the front counter where the girl stood with the plate of steak in her hands and frowned.

"Are you okay, Rose?" She asked in concern.

Daisy nodded and gave the tall girl a smile.

"Yeah, I know it's not easy going out there." Pepita remarked, "I mean, what with the king being so damn sexy and all."

At that Daisy lifted a brow.

Pepita asked, "That _is _why you're nervous, right? I mean, if I were you I would be. I heard he has a thing for blondes." _  
_

She left to get back to work with Daisy staring in confusion at her back. He had a thing for blondes? That would explain his infatuation with the Princess. But she doubted that was true. Either way, she was glad she wasn't the only one who knew that the king was way more good-looking than a ruthless villain ought to be.

Daisy carried the plate out the kitchen and to the dining hall. Again, the royal was slouched in his seat with his attention focused on the goblet of wine in one hand. He was joined this morning by someone she hadn't expected to see.

"Good morning!" Junior greeted brightly.

The little boy smiled widely at her and she couldn't help but smile back. He was looking sharp in his light green shirt, olive vest and silk green pants. Though his feet were bare, they looked just as clean as his beaming face and tied-up hair. For now. She knew the boy wouldn't stay that way. He was much too active, too mischievous.

Daisy felt more at ease with the child's presence and had no trouble setting the king's food down in front of him. The man took a bite and took on a look of immense pleasure. As she was leaving, he did something odd.

He reached down, took her hand, and laid a kiss on the back of it.

Then he went back to eating, not paying her any mind. She was well-versed in aristocratic culture, being who she was, and she knew that this was a gesture of thanks that a royal would, in a rare instance, bestow upon his or her servants. Knowing this, however, didn't make it any less creepy. She rubbed her hand on her apron and hurried back to the kitchen.

_Bowser is notoriously impolite to his staff, _she'd heard around, _that must be some good steak if he's coming that close to a 'thank-you'. _

Just as she got to the doorway, she heard Bowser Junior speak to his father. She paused, then, and listened in.

_I know Ludwig said to lay low, but I'll just see if I can pick up on something interesting, _she reasoned. She hated the fact that he'd basically lost faith in her and she did want to prove herself. So she spied.

"Daddy," Junior called.

His father ignored him.

"Hey daddy!" The boy said louder.

This time Bowser glanced at him but kept chowing down. Daisy figured the boy thought that was the best he'd get because he kept talking as if he'd been acknowledged.

"How come you are going away all the time?" Junior asked.

Bowser was already finished, to her surprise; he could really put away. Now the king reclined in his seat and took up his goblet.

"I have business to take care of," He told his heir.

Junior pouted, "How come I can't go with you, daddy?"

"You're not ready." The king told him.

"I am too small?" The child asked.

Bowser shook his head. "Not necessarily. When the time comes, you'll be leading your own campaign."

It was right around then that the famed Princess and now bride of the Dark King made a second appearance, to everyone's surprise. Daisy couldn't help but notice how very sad she looked.

Peach's arrival was heralded by the especially loud voice of her step-son.

"Princess!" He exclaimed with a huge grin, "You came to eat with me and Daddy! I'm so um, so glad that you did!"

The tiny smile that graced her pale pink mouth was short-lived. She moved softly in her long white dress. The thing had cap sleeves and was a mix of sheer lace and satin. All these dresses she wore were white. Daisy wondered why that was.

"Morning, Queen Koopa," Bowser drawled.

She narrowed her blue eyes and said, "Don't call me that. Please."

As she took her seats, she tucked the bottom of her dress under her. This particular one dragged the floor like how her loose curls did down her shoulders and back. The makeup she wore was minimal, but it made her look fragile, like a pretty glass doll.

Daisy wanted so badly to get her attention but she didn't know how. Her heart went out to the sad-eyed princess and she shuddered to think what all Peach must've endured during her imprisonment under that monstrous king.

"Oh, but Peaches, it's who you are now," Bowser remarked.

Peach said quietly, "I am Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, not this hellish place."

"Soon there won't be a kingdom by that name anymore." Bowser hinted with a twinge of irritation.

Peach tilted her head, "What do you mean?"

"You'll see soon enough." He turned to Daisy then and said, "You, little blonde angel. Come here."

Daisy's heart skipped a beat upon being addressed, but she did as he said.

"Won't you bring my precious queen her breakfast?" He told her.

That conversation had given Daisy an idea. She bowed to the king and went back in the kitchen where the oatmeal was being taken out of the pot. She grabbed the bowl from the woman's hands and carried it over to another counter. There Daisy searched around for the basket of fresh berries.

She fashioned the dark blue fruit into the shape of a toadstool atop the sweet oatmeal, then surveyed her handiwork. _I hope this does the trick, _she thought. She didn't know what to say but this was a start.

Daisy took the hot bowl of food on a plate to the Princess and set it down carefully. From this close, she could smell the lovely scent of vanilla that clung to the princess like an aura. When she got back to the other side of the dining hall, near the double doors that led to the kitchen, she saw Peach holding her spoon in mid-air, staring hard at her bowl.

Her clear eyes watered and a shiver sped through her hand holding the spoon. Then she sought out Daisy's eyes and they both shared a weak smile. _You're not alone, _Daisy wanted to tell her_, I'm here for you. _

That message had been conveyed and duly received. The only downside to this was that Bowser was in the habit of watching Peach's every move and had seen the entire exchange.

_It doesn't matter, _Daisy assured herself, _so long as he doesn't see what's in that bowl. _

* * *

Today had been busy. All morning and afternoon Daisy was needed in the kitchen. Apparently there was to be an impromptu feast to be held later on so everyone had been working non-stop. This morning she made the steak for the king as per usual and was glad to see that Peach had joined the table yet again. Daisy did the same thing with the oatmeal, mostly to let her know it was no accident, and had earned another smile in return. She noticed the princess seemed a little less depressed afterwards so that was good.

Anyway, she'd been put to work doing all sorts of things, both in and out of the kitchen. Baking cakes and dusting the throne room and frying fresh fish and polishing furniture was laborious work. Not to mention Bowser Junior's meddling. In all the confusion, he'd snuck away from his lessons and had pestered the kitchen staff while they worked. In the first instance the Mistress had shooed him off. In the second one, his general came to collect him.

What was strange was the rumor that the sudden feast was being held in honor of a new alliance between the Dark King and another country. That frightened Daisy to a degree.

_Who'd want to ally with him? How strong are they? And does Mario know? _

It was night now, and that feast was underway. All the questions that had been floating around in her head were about to be answered. Well, not all of them, but a good deal. She was on serving duty, she'd volunteered for the task actually. Her agreement with Ludwig about laying low and staying out of sight was completely out the back door. Daisy tightened her apron and grabbed a platter of meats and cheeses. She followed behind a male servant and headed to the dining room.

First she saw the king. Nothing new there. He was dressed for the occasion and so was his new wife at his left. His son sat next to her, looking so adorable while he struggled to use his fork and knife properly. And at his right. At his right. At...his right...

_No way, _she thought incredulously.

At his right was none other than that cocky, insufferable, blue-haired supposed partner of hers, Ludwig.

She stopped in her tracks and gaped at him at first, then she narrowed her eyes and set her mouth angrily.

_How dare he? _she fumed, _I knew I should've never trusted him, that two-timing, smooth-talking, back-stabbing jerk! _

Daisy cleared her face then and continued in her work. He may not be loyal to the mission anymore, but she would be. She didn't want to blow her cover so she strode assuredly over to the table and set down the food. She didn't even look at him. Anger had made her confident, and she didn't even bat an eye in the Dark King's presence. She was so mad right then she could look him straight in the eye and not lose her nerve.

Instead of going to the kitchens, though, she went to the room with the cots and found the one she and Pepita shared. She yanked off her apron and collapsed onto the small bed.

"So stupid!" She growled, "How could I be so stupid? I should've never signed my kingdoms over to that jerk."

In all her rage she neglected to realize she could speak again until after she'd said those things. Then she popped her eyes wide open and thought, _wait, if I can talk, that means..._

"Evening, Rose."

He was smirking; how dare he smirk at a time like this?

Daisy leapt from her cot and stalked towards him. She balled her fists at her sides and glared up at him.

"What is going on?" She demanded.

He quirked a thin blue brow and said, "I believe they call these things feasts."

"Be serious, Ludwig!" She ordered, "Why did you ally my country with that evil creature?"

"Sweetheart, we're in the middle of a war if you haven't noticed." He explained patiently.

"So?"

"So if you're not for the Dark King, you're against him. There is no in between."

"That's not true," She argued, "King Boo is in the middle."

"King Boo is a target." Ludwig told her, "Just not an important one."

Daisy didn't let go of her anger just yet. "This wasn't part of the plan."

"The plan's changed."

"Why don't you ever let me know before you go and do these things?"

Ludwig sighed and shut the double doors. He then came towards Daisy and placed his hands on both her shoulders.

"Daisy," He murmured, "I'm gonna' need you to trust me, okay?"

She scoffed, "What choice do I really have?"

"Hey, hey," He whispered, turning her chin to face him, "Don't be mad. I'm doing this all for you, after all."

"How do you figure that?" She snapped.

"Do you really want that bastard going after Sarasaland?"

"No, but couldn't you have done something else?"

"If I could have, I would have." He shrugged.

There was a quiet moment where Daisy felt the fires of ire leaving her body. Then she felt exhausted, on a mental level. She sighed.

"So should I stay in the kitchen, out of sight?" She asked.

Ludwig said, "Not necessarily. Do your job, just don't make a scene."

He opened the doors and strode back out towards the dining hall. She took a moment to fix her hair, straighten her apron, and compose herself before doing the same.

* * *

**A/N: Short I know, but more is on the way! Leave your review people, pretty please! **

**As for Peach and Daisy; don't worry, there won't be any damsels in distress in my fic for long. They will each have a role in bringing down the bane of the Mushroom World. Maybe we'll even see the two in a fight scene, lol. You'll just have to stay tuned and see! **

~DymondGold~


	29. Chapter 29

**Thanks everybody for all the reviews, I appreciate my faithful readers and casual visitors! This story is dedicated to you all! **

**A special shout-out to my readers in the U.K, Australia, Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Spain, and all the other countries! I appreciate you taking the time to read my humble work :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

* * *

Now that they were there at the table together, it was impossible not to see the similarities between Ludwig and the infamous Lord of the Badlands. Daisy had picked up on several things as the night progressed. Now that everyone was done eating, conversation ensued. Ludwig had hardly eaten anything, though, just went through a half a goblet of wine. Daisy watched the two interact from her place near the double doors. For all the people in the kitchen knew, she was watching because of how smitten she was with the young male guest.

"This feast is illustrious," Ludwig remarked, "but does a simple alliance warrant all this?"

The king grinned and leaned back in his seat. He had eaten the most and had also gone through two goblets of wine, and was working on his third. She knew because Pepita was the one running back and forth to refill it.

"No," Bowser drawled, "But this isn't a simple alliance."

"Oh?" Ludwig hummed.

"It's the start of a very prolific partnership," The king raved. "I haven't forgotten about you, Ludwig."

"You thought me dead." The younger male stated quietly.

Daisy didn't miss the bitter edge he'd taken on. Though his eyes appeared to be dull with alcohol as he idly gazed at his wine goblet, she could see how hard and flinty they were. That wasn't normal. Bowser, though, was either too drunk or uncaring to notice.

"Yes, I did think you dead," Bowser admitted, "but that was a long time ago."

"Hm." Was all Ludwig said.

"I see you have a will to survive: not only that, but a will to conquer." Bowser stated excitedly. "I've heard about your recent acquisition of Sarasaland."

"Oh you have?" Ludwig asked boredly.

Bowser chuckled, "In only a few short weeks you have the entire country eating out of the palm of your hands."

Ludwig shrugged.

_Why didn't he tell me about this? _Daisy wondered. She didn't like the sound of that at all.

Bowser claimed, "We're a lot alike, you and I. You're a natural leader, like myself. Together we could rule the world!"

Ludwig tilted his head, "Do go on."

The Dark King laughed and said, "Now granted, you have a way to go before you reach _my _level of greatness, but if you are willing I could teach you so much."

"You think so?" Ludwig asked challengingly.

From the cryptic tone and the look in his sharp eyes, Daisy got the distinct impression that Ludwig was speaking in reference to the king's remark about his not being on level with himself. This did not escape the older royal's notice.

Bowser grinned at that and he and Ludwig seemed to share some kind of understanding. The whole thing made Daisy ill at ease. Not for the first time she wondered if she'd done the right thing, getting involved with a man like Ludwig who was so close in nature to her enemy.

"What are you doing?" Bowser suddenly asked.

He was talking to his little son, who was trying to get away from the table. The child pushed his plate of vegetables away and faced his father.

"I don't want no more. I wanna' get down." He replied.

Bowser said, "Eat, Junior."

"But I can't eat it! My stomach, it's all the way filled up!" He insisted.

The king rolled his eyes and that's when Peach intervened. She put one of her hands atop his bicep and got his attention so fast, as if she'd slapped him or doused him in cold water. Daisy didn't know how she could stand the royal's intense stare.

"I can take him to his room," She offered softly.

Bowser let his eyes rake over her in want before he took that hand that was on his shoulder and kissed it. He kissed each of her knuckles and her palm and her wrist, all while gazing her right in the eyes. Peach took her hand back and stood quickly, then helped Junior down from his seat. Daisy had a feeling Peach was using the little one as an excuse to get away from the king and his attentions.

Now that they were gone, Bowser addressed his new ally once more.

"I'm moving my troops out in a few days," He began, "If you're interested in joining forces, I can give you the details of the attack."

"Where are you attacking?" Ludwig murmured.

"Mushroom Kingdom," Bowser answered, "Where the hell else?"

"Forgive me, I forgot." Ludwig stated, not at all apologetically, "Do you have those attack plans blue-printed?"

The king smirked, "Of course I do; up here, that is."

He was pointing to his temple. Ludwig quirked a brow.

"You don't write out your battle plans?"

"Not hardly."

_So that's why I couldn't find anything about them in the study, _Daisy realized.

"So what say you of joining forces?" The king asked impatiently.

Daisy held her breath. She was waiting to see how far Ludwig would take this. The last thing she wanted was for her people to have a hand in any attack against a kingdom that had taken her in.

"As much as I'd like to join you, Your Royal Nastiness," Ludwig answered, "I don't think the troops are ready for that."

Bowser shrugged. "Very well. Whenever you get them in line, I expect you to let me know."

"And I will." Ludwig promised.

"I doubt it'll take you long," The king added, "What with your amount of prowess."

"Hn." The enforcer muttered.

Daisy was glad to hear that he'd refused the Dark King, but she was no fool. Just because the matter was settled today didn't mean Bowser would let it go completely. She hated how her kingdom had been pulled into all this, but she supposed it was for the best. Those troops would be used to bring the king down.

Ludwig turned to her, then, and she straightened. He beckoned to her, and she hurried to him. She pretended to have come to take his plate. Meanwhile, he bent forward and whispered in her ear.

"Meet me in my room tonight; upstairs, last on the left."

* * *

"Are you alright?"

It was Pepita who'd asked her that. Daisy knew why. She was being extra fidgety in their too-small shared cot. It was keeping the older girl from getting any rest, which was counterproductive for Daisy; she was waiting for Pepita to drift off so that she could leave the room. Now Pepita was awake and groggy and staring down at her tiredly.

Daisy nodded, and the girl turned back over. Then Daisy did her best to keep still for the next half hour. It was hard because she was so distressed. Thoughts of Ludwig and the Dark King pervaded in her mind. She knew it wasn't totally groundless to say that he had a lot in common with the older royal, especially after the feast that had just transpired. Those similarities worried her. What was worst, was that her kingdom's soldiers were liable to be used for evil. In the end she knew they would help bring down the king, or at least she hoped that was still part of the plan, but in the meantime she had a bad feeling Ludwig would cave to the king's overbearing demands to join forces.

Finally, Daisy could hear the soft snores of her red-haired friend and knew it was time to go. It was late, everyone else had been gone to sleep. She carefully climbed from her cot and crept past the slumbering girls to get to the double doors. There she pulled them open as quietly as she could and slipped past them. From then on, she stuck to sprinting: down the hall, up the stairs, all the way to the last guest room on the left, like Ludwig had told her. She took a moment to catch her breath because the last thing she wanted to do was have the arrogant man catch her winded.

She raised her hand to knock, but as she did the oak swung back and a larger hand caught her fist.

"Is that blush for me?"

Daisy rolled her eyes, "I'm not blushing, now let me in."

Evidently her run had left her more flushed than she'd realized. Ludwig guided her by her fist in his hand into the room, closing the door gently behind him. Once inside, Daisy took a seat on the white-sheeted bed. As was his custom, Ludwig started to pace.

"He's planning to sack the Mushroom Kingdom," The young man said, "But I suppose you heard as much, right?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "So what can we do to stop him?"

"Nothing."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

Daisy frowned. "There has to be something we can do."

"There is," Ludwig stated, "But it won't stop him; just slow him down."

"I take it you have something in mind?"

"You know me well," He smirked.

"So what is it?" Daisy asked.

Ludwig stopped pacing and stood in front of her. He twirled his wrist and procured a glass bottle of...oil? Daisy was confused.

"What is that?" She wanted to know.

He said casually, "Concentrated poison."

"What's it for? To put in his steak?" She guessed.

"No." Ludwig spoke flatly, "That would be a bit obvious, don't you think?"

"So what are you gonna' do with it, then?"

"I want you to find a way to get this to Princess Peach." He told her.

Daisy said, "How am I supposed to that?"

Ludwig wrapped the bottle in black velvet cloth, but not before sticking a folded piece of paper in there. He conjured a white ribbon and tied a bow at the neck of the concealed bottle, then answered his partner's question.

"Find a way," was his advice.

She rolled her eyes, "Gee, that helps."

"I'm not gonna' hold your hand, Rose." He admonished, "You're a clever girl. Figure something out."

"Princess Peach hardly ever comes out of the room," She argued. "And when she does, she's either near the king or escorted by Koopas."

"All I'm asking you to do is give this too her." Ludwig said. "You've already disappointed me thus far, if you want this operation to work, I'll need you to start pulling your weight."

_How dare he, _she thought angrily. She snatched the wrapped bottle of oil from him and glared when he smirked.

"Why are you so hard on me?" She demanded.

Ludwig's smirk grew and he got closer to her. He put his hands down on the bed on either side of her and tilted his head next to hers. Their noses were nearly touching and their eyes locked.

"Hard on you?" He murmured.

She swallowed and leaned back away from him. That only encouraged him to get even closer.

"But Daisy," He breathed, "Don't you see? This is my way of motivating you. Can't have you getting complacent, now can I?"

She knew what was coming, so when he tried to kiss her his lips met the back of her hand.

_Not this time, Mister, _she thought.

He chuckled at her and tapped his fingers to her throat, re-activating the muteness charm.

* * *

Perhaps it was the fact that Ludwig had goaded her so much, or her eagerness to get the dangerous concoction out of her hands; whatever the reason, Daisy chose the very next night to try and get the item to Princess Peach. She chose not to work so hard that day in an effort to conserve her energy.

_If I'm going to be taking a risk like visiting Bowser's bedroom, I want to be alert while doing so, _was her reasoning.

So here she was, staked out at the start of the Eastern Wing hall. From Ludwig she'd learned to have an alibi ready; the glass of water in her hand was meant to be delivered to the princess. It wasn't as good an excuse as the blue-haired tactician could come up with, but she'd thought it up on the spot.

She focused on the dark corridor in front of her. Nobody was out, it wasn't that late, and she was more hyper than a plumber who'd just gotten hold of a star-man. She took a deep breath to calm herself and blinked hard.

_It's now or never. _

The fact that there were no Koopa's posted outside the door let her know that the Dark King had retired for the night. They never stood guard while he was with Peach. She found this to be bittersweet; although it was a good thing she didn't have to go through them, it was also bad in the sense that she ran the risk of being discovered by the king himself.

_Hopefully it won't come to that. _

Daisy hurried down the hall then, before she thought too much and lost her nerve. She was trembling and her palms were covered in enough moisture to flood the Kalimari Desert. Still she raised her fist and rapped against the thick wooden door.

_Please don't be him, please don't be him, please please **please **don't be him,_ she begged.

"...Hello."

A relieved smile broke out on Daisy's face. She'd gotten lucky. The door had been pulled open slowly to reveal the former princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, not her evil spouse. If she wasn't mistaken, she thought she heard the bath running.

_Bowser must be in there, _she guessed since she couldn't see him anywhere else in the room.

She shifted the glass of water to her left hand and wiped her right on her apron. Peach stared at Daisy, politely, but deeply confused. As far as she knew, this blonde child was an ally or fellow kinsman at the least, and for that she was interested to see what this impromptu visit was about.

_"All I'm asking you to do is give this to her." _

The words rang in Daisy's ears. She dug into the front pocket of her apron, which was more of a pouch really, and pulled out the packaged oil. Peach took the item from her with a bit of hesitance.

"What's this?" She wondered aloud.

Daisy wanted to know what was on that note: that was the only thing keeping her rooted to the spot. She fought against the pounding in her heart, the sensation of fight or flight, mostly flight, that was urging her to get away before the Dark King came sauntering out of the bathroom.

"Who are you?" Peach asked, "Where are you from? And what have you been trying to tell me all this time?"

In a non-verbal way, Daisy pointed to her throat and mouthed the word, 'mute'. This clued the princess in to the fact that she wouldn't be getting an answer to those things right now.

"Oh, I see," Peach said softly, then added, "That's too bad. You're so young, that really is unfortunate."

Daisy just shrugged.

"You know of the Mushroom Kingdom?" Peach inquired.

She nodded.

Hesitantly she asked, "Are you...a friend, then?"

Another nod.

Peach actually smiled and said, "Then I am glad for that."

Daisy smiled back.

_No offense, Your Majesty, but could we hurry this up? _Daisy really wanted to hear about the note so she could go already. Not only was she nervous, but also incredibly tired. The adrenaline was keeping the drowsiness at bay, though.

Peach began to read.

_Greetings, Princess. _

_Consider this item enclosed a gift, one from a reluctant ally sympathetic to your plight. If you want to stop **him **from killing your people, it would behoove you to rub this oil on the body of your captor every night, starting tonight; don't be shy, Princess, get it all over him. The more you use, the better. _

_Just be sure to wash your hands afterwards. _

When she finished the note, both her and Daisy were blushing. It was the nature that had them flustered. What Ludwig called for was intimate contact and that was enough to put them both at unease.

_I feel bad for her, _Daisy thought sadly. _I bet Ludwig did this on purpose; he loves to see people squirm. _

Peach handed the note to Daisy with a solemn look on her face.

"You'd better destroy this," She advised. "Thank you for your help."

From the princess' expression, Daisy didn't feel like she'd really helped all that much.

* * *

Peach was a docile woman, usually. She didn't like to make waves and she certainly didn't like getting on people's bad sides. Most of the time, she'd do whatever it took to keep the peace, even if it meant her having to suffer in silence.

Now, her attitude had changed.

Not drastically, but she was willing to do what was necessary to save her people from the dire hand of King Bowser. She would participate in this act of subterfuge if it meant their safety. She wasn't daft, from the note she'd garnered that the pretty glass bottle contained some kind of poison to use against Bowser. So the question was, did she have what it took to harm another living soul? Granted this soul was tainted pitch black and full of maggots and darkness, but Bowser was a person nonetheless. She'd never hurt so much as a fly in her entire life. This was a big step for her.

_He's killing my people, _she told herself, _I have to do this. _

Even though she didn't relish the idea of getting so intimate with the king, she felt it was the only choice in this situation. With that in mind, she took a moment to embolden herself.

_All my life I've had people take care of me, _she mused, _now it's time I return the favor. _

She strode over to the vanity and gazed at herself. Peach knew it would only be a matter of time before her forced husband emerged from the bathroom.

_And when he does, I must be ready. _

She'd never had such an important role to play in her life, so she was determined not to mess up. Too much hung in the balance.

Peach dug through the drawers and, much to her chagrin, pulled out something that was way too scandalous to be called pajamas; a pair of tiny silk shorts and a matching black silk tank top. She pulled those 'garments' on instead of the usual gown she'd have normally opted for, then glanced over the top of the vanity. She found the perfume she was looking for, the kind that smelled like vanilla, and sprayed it on both her wrists, her neck, and the folds of her elbows. Then she took a comb, her wooden comb that never failed to bring a bit of mist to her eyes, and teased her honey-colored hair. She bit down hard on her bottom lip to redden it and blew out a breath.

It shamed her to take these measures, but she knew it had to be done. Those lessons she was taught early on in finishing school, the ones nobody talked about, were coming in handy. She never thought she'd make use of them until after she and Mario were married, perhaps. She'd obviously been wrong.

_Bam! _

For some reason, the king was always slamming things and tonight was no different. As he came out of the bathroom, he nearly knocked the door off its hinges. To her utter horror, that towel he was clad in hung dangerously low on his waist.

"Miss me?" He teased.

Peach turned her head away with a furious blush rising on her face. She waited for him to at least put some pants on before glancing in his direction again. Before she decided to dive into her role, there was one thing she wanted to address.

"Koopa," she began tersely.

He leaned on the vanity and said, "Yes, baby?"

Peach winced but asked, "Are you. That is, will you be heading to the Mushroom Kingdom?"

Bowser tilted his head, "Where did you hear that?"

"Around," She answered evasively.

He drummed his fingers on the wood behind him. The truth was, she heard that when she was putting Junior to bed the other night. When he drank, Bowser wasn't exactly as quiet as a church mouse.

"Is it true, then?" She pressed from her seat on the bed.

Bowser grinned and said, "Of course."

"You're going to attack my home?"

"No," He drawled, "This is your home now."

"No, it's not," She insisted, "It will never be. My place is-"

"In CandyCorn Kingdom," He finished, "I've heard. But the thing is, Peaches, in four days, that place will be done for. Burnt to the ground."

"No!" She cried.

"Yes," He chuckled.

"You told me that you wouldn't attack." She said accusingly.

He shrugged, "I did say that, didn't I? Well, things have changed."

Peach felt herself getting angry. "Do you do anything but lie?"

"I fuck pretty well." He smirked shamelessly.

"You're _despicable_!" She hissed. "You horrible, nasty, monster!"

Peach didn't know where this courage was coming from but she embraced it. She glared at the king and let the flames of righteous anger shine in her eyes. If she knew how much Bowser was enjoying this, perhaps she wouldn't have given him the satisfaction of seeing her lose her temper.

"Enough with the compliments," Bowser laughed, "Truth is, I wouldn't be doing this if your precious toilet-monkey hadn't singed my southern borders with his confounded weapons."

Peach didn't know if she believed that. But she definitely had an inkling of her fiance's tenacity; it was very likely that Mario had attacked again. That didn't warrant what the king was about to do, though. Bowser pushed himself off the vanity and came towards her.

"Peaches," He crooned, "Can you really blame me for retaliating? It's what anyone else would do."

He didn't wait to see how she responded before he kissed her. Out of habit Peach jerked her head to the side. Bowser didn't mind, he kissed her jaw instead. He didn't stop there, either. The king pushed himself onto her so that she had no choice but to recline backwards onto the bed.

"Why don't you forget about him, already?" He murmured.

Bowser dragged his open-mouthed kisses from her jaw, down to her neck. He had no qualms about sinking his teeth into the soft, pale skin there. Peach's breathing hitched abruptly. The king saw this and hummed in amusement as he glided his tongue roughly over the afflicted area. She felt the vibrations from his voice and it sent a shiver up her back.

"You like that, Princess?" He whispered near her ear.

At the same time, he took both hands and spread her legs apart. She immediately clamped them shut again, making him laugh.

"Still trying to fight it." He remarked.

Bowser ran his hands up her sides, under her silk top, all the way up to her chest. He dipped his head down and brushed his mouth against her navel while slipping his fingers under the band of her bra. Peach gasped at that wicked tongue of his; he'd started gliding it steadily up her stomach. His hands were still moving near her chest, rubbing circles with his thumbs over her ribs now. Her heart thudded in her ears and she felt herself getting hot all over.

Bowser grinned up at her knowingly. By then he'd made his way up to her chest. She got scared then, and clambered backwards on the bed. The king was having none of that.

He crawled further up on the large bed and grabbed her under her knees. He dragged her back towards him and settled some of his weight on top of her. On his elbows he rested and let his head hover above her own.

"Won't you give me a kiss?" He whispered huskily, "That's all I want."

That was a lie and they both knew it. Peach realized that things were headed in one direction; the king was finally losing control over himself. Once that restraint he'd been practicing up until now had snapped, there was no telling what he'd do. She had to stop him now.

"I," She breathed, "I have something for you."

That got his attention.

"Oh?" He smirked, his eyes glittering with mirth, "What do you have for me, my Queen?"

She said thickly, "It's over there. I uh, have to go get it."

Very reluctantly Bowser rose up off of her. She was finally able to breathe normally again. She hated to say it, but she had never, not once, felt these type of feelings and sensations with Mario.

_We've never really been this intimate, _she reasoned, _and just because it feels...sorta good doesn't make it right. _

She got off the bed and went over to where the bottle of oil lay in the nightstand drawer. Meanwhile, Bowser dimmed the flames in the candle chandelier with a wave of his hand. He sat back against the group of pillows at the head of the bed and folded his arms. That smile on his face was highly amused.

"And what is that?" He inquired.

She held the glass bottle innocently and said, "Oil."

He took it from her hands, uncapped it, and sniffed at its contents suspiciously.

"I got it from one of the servants." She lied. "It's meant to ah, help you relax those um, tense muscles you've had. Er, are having."

_I'm so bad at lying, _she bemoaned, _I'm rambling and making no sense and he'll see right through me. _

Contrary to what she feared, the king was none the wiser to her fibbing. He merely shrugged and handed the bottle back to her.

"Just so we're on the same page, Peaches," He spoke, "You are volunteering to give me a massage, right?"

She nodded wordlessly.

He smirked, "Well look who's come around."

Then he lay on his back and folded his arms behind his head.

"So you wanna' put it on me?" He spoke suggestively, "Go right ahead."

_Why does he have to make it sound so dirty? _She thought with much displeasure. She sighed and got on her knees on the mattress. When he handed the bottle back to her, it was significantly warmer than it was before.

_Here goes, _She thought as she poured some of the thick liquid onto her open palm. She only had a few drops, but upon remembering the letter and its advice, she added some more. As soon as she put her bare hands onto his toned stomach, she felt the muscles shudder.

With a gasp she pulled her hands back. The king grinned.

"Don't be scared," He told her, "Just a reflex, is all."

Peach swallowed hard and nervously inched her oily hands back onto his skin. She worked those hands over his torso in slow, stiff circles. This also had the king chuckling.

"Maybe I should give you a massage first," He offered, "Help you calm down some."

_Dear goodness, no, _she thought. With that as the alternative, Peach evened her breathing and willed herself to get her anxiety under control. It helped, she realized, to stare at her knees while she worked at his body. Soon she fell into a repetitive motion, rubbing the oil over body parts that she felt but did not see. She distanced herself from the act, went somewhere else in her mind. And then, by accident, she happened to look up.

_Why did I have to look up? _

She desperately wished she hadn't, because she caught an eyeful of his tight abs that glistened under her wet fingers. She quickly averted her eyes, stared at the wall. That hardly helped though. She couldn't get the image out of her head. And those noises of appreciation the king kept making was seriously not helping matters. He made no secret about how much he was enjoying this attention.

"Very _good, _princess." He sighed in pleasure.

The way he said it made her feel like she was doing sometihng incredibly dirty. Soon her job was done, though. She could tell because the king had grown silent and still. She looked up at him.

_His eyes are closed, is he sleeping? _

"Koopa?" She called out softly, nudging his shoulder.

She got no response. The woman then breathed out in relief. _Now that that's over, I suppose it wasn't too bad, _she deduced. _It could've gone a lot worse. _

Peach slid off the bed and headed to the bathroom. After she'd washed her hands and got back to the bed, she saw the king had yet to move. She got under the covers and lay as far from him as she could. Unlike the other nights, he didn't reach out to pull her near him.

He was really knocked out.

"I think the oil had something to do with that," She observed quietly.

_It weakens him. In that case, I'll have to keep using it, _she figured, _maybe by the time he's ready to leave, he won't be able to get out of bed, too weak to attack my people. _

* * *

Unfortunately for Peach, the king was hardly weak at all on the day he led his troops out of the Badlands. Quite the opposite he was, actually. He couldn't wait to arrive at the gates of that goody-good kingdom. As he rode on his war horse with his men in tow, his black cloak billowed out behind him. The speed at which he and his Koopas' steeds were traveling was astounding; these horses were, of course, enchanted so that they ran exponentially faster than normal ones.

_Should arrive before sunset, _Bowser surmised. He smirked, _Can't wait to see the look on that plumber's face when I slaughter his people in droves. _

He wasn't going to kill Mario, not now. He wanted him to suffer first, to witness his beloved kingdom fall.

_Then I'll drag his ass back to the Badlands and make him watch as I take his woman, _the king sneered. _It won't take much, she's been coming around lately. About time. _

He recalled the nightly massages she'd been giving him. In all her zeal, she'd used the entire bottle of oil rubbing him down.

_Have to remember to get some more, _he made a mental note.

Though the princess was clearly unversed in the area, her attention was much appreciated. She was inexperienced, her movements clumsy, but damn if her hands didn't feel nice against his aching body.

_I'll have to remember to pay her back for being so helpful_, he thought with a smirk.

The king yawned.

All of a sudden he was hit by this wave of lethargy. It was mild in nature, like a bit of drowsiness, but it was still odd.

_No matter, _he brushed it off, _how much effort does it take to crush the Kingdom of Smiles and Sunshine anyway? _

* * *

"Shut up!"

"No, you shut up!"

"Both of you shut up."

"Nobody was talkin' to you, yo."

"So?"

"So mind ya' own bees-wax!"

"Don't be mean to Wen, Roy!"

"Butt out, ya' twerp, or I'll pound ya'!"

"Yeah, he'll pound ya' real good! He'll give you a real nice smackin', a rootin' tootin' one is what you'll get!"

I rubbed my eyes before moving from my spot on the couch to go to the kitchen where the arguing was taking place. I had to break things up between the siblings yet again. Every day, several times a day, they were getting into it. It was usually Roy making waves or offending someone with Morton backing him up. Wendy would try to be the peace-maker, and then Roy would lash out at her. Lemmy, being the smallest, would defend her surprisingly, and would get told off for it. Then things escalated and everyone would start shouting at once. That had happened a couple of times, but I usually tried to stop it before it got to that point.

_Mainly for my ears' sake. _

"Alright, everybody, stop fighting." I said as I got into the kitchen.

"Look, Wen, it's your boyfriend!" Roy chuckled.

She hit him upside the head for that.

I didn't want to be dealing with these kids right now. I had too much on my mind. I was worried about Daisy. It had been over a week and I still hadn't heard from her. Was she alright? I could hope but not be sure. This wasn't what Ludwig had promised. He said he'd check in every week.

"Roy are you antagonizing your sister?"

_Speak of the devil, _I thought, because there he was, standing behind me as if he'd appeared out of nowhere. Considering he has the ability to teleport, I'm guessing this was really the case.

"Where's Daisy?" I asked him.

She wasn't here, and that immediately let me know something wasn't right. Ludwig, though, just shrugged.

"She's at the palace, doing her job." He told me.

"Why isn't she here?" I asked.

He said, "Why are you so worried?"

"Because I love her." I answered bluntly, "I want to know if she's safe."

"She's perfectly safe," The enforcer said smoothly. "She just can't be here right now."

"Why not?"

Ludwig sighed, "Because she can't. Can we move on now?"

"If you're lying," I frowned.

The blue-haired man scoffed, "I don't need to lie to you."

I didn't really believe him, but I had to keep the faith alive that Daisy was indeed alright. She was undercover in the palace, I sort of understood how it would be hard to get away, so I let the issue go. For now.

"Okay," I said, "What else is going on? How is Peach? Is she getting out of there?"

"Things are going according to plan." Was all Ludwig said in answer.

Now that he was being all cryptic, I got worried all over again.

"I want to see Daisy." I stated, "If she can't come here, take me to see her."

Ludwig cut his eyes, "That's not gonna' happen so just take my word for it."

"I don't understand," I argued, "If she's alright like you claim, why can't you just let me see her?"

"Do you want to show up there, get caught, and cause trouble for her?" He asked caustically.

"No," I replied curtly, "I'm not gonna' do anything to jeopardize the mission. I'm not an idiot. I just want to see her."

I stared him straight in the eyes, then. I let him know I was adamant about this. He finally sighed and seemed to capitulate.

"Fine." He spoke "I'll see if I can get her down here next week."

"In a few days, you mean." I retorted.

He narrowed his eyes but nodded, "In a few days then."

Ludwig backed out of the kitchen and became more and more transparent until he vanished altogether. I was getting real fed up with not knowing what was going on. While I was here, doing next to nothing with these kids, Daisy was in the belly of the beast. If that weren't bad enough, I had to practically pull teeth when it came to getting a decent bit of intel from the only one who knew how she was doing.

I don't know how much more of this I could take.

* * *

Just as he'd known, the Dark King and his men arrived within mere miles of the Mushroom Kingdom before the sun even had time to touch the horizon. However, he found the lethargy had only gotten worse.

_The hell is going on? _He could only wonder.

As he pushed onward, He tried to figure it out. The heat wasn't getting to him, it never did. He'd eaten a hearty meal before heading out. He didn't exert himself in any way, so what was going on? Why did he feel so weak?

The wind whipped at his face but even that wasn't enough to hold up his heavy eyelids. All in his bones and muscles he felt this lead-y sensation, as if he were being weighed down. His lids started to close and that's when he decided to stop the horse.

His men gathered around him, pulling to a stop as well. They could only watch as the king assessed himself.

"What is happening to me?" He growled aloud.

"Are you alright, Your Royal Nastiness, sir?" One of his braver Koopas dared ask.

Bowser rounded on him and roared, "Do I _look _alright to you, numbskull?"

The yelling made his head throb, so he clutched each side of it in both hands. But soon he was throbbing all over. His body was getting hotter than usual, too hot and sweaty, and his stomach turned as if he were about to heave. The king's vision grew dim and his breaths came out short and shallow.

"My Lord?" Someone's voice called to him disjointedly.

As the last bout of dizziness struck him, the soldiers all bore witness to their king's eyes fluttering shut before he fell off the side of his horse, totally unconscious.

* * *

Desperate times called for desperate measures. This was what Mario kept telling himself ever since the Great War to justify his sometimes questionable actions. A facet of his changed behavior was the company he kept, the aid he called on. He was intent on winning this new war with significantly less casualties, but already he'd gotten off to a bad start. That was why he'd sought out one of his most notorious enemies for help.

The man sitting stiffly across from him in the war room was hardly that; his entire body was made of metal. With thick white hair and beady red eyes constantly clouded with ire, the king drummed his heavy fingers on the wooden table.

"Mario, you swine," He groused, "Why have you summoned me here?"

The plumber-turned-prince let the insult slide off his back. He had bigger things to worry about. The important thing was to get this being on his side, whatever it took.

"I called you here today, King Smithy," Mario began, "because a war has broken out."

Now that got the anarchist's attention. He stroked his curly white beard and tilted his mechanical head.

"A war, you say?" He mused.

Mario nodded. "Yes."

Now here was the part where Mario could've talked about how his lands were under attack and how his fiancee had been stolen, but he knew King Smithy could care less about any of that. As long as there was war and bloodshed involved, he was in. The question was, whose side would he fight for? Smithy was a bitter enemy of Mario's and both men knew this. But Mario also knew that if he played his cards right, he could use Smithy's lust for all that was chaotic in his favor. Normally the plumber wouldn't dare saddle himself with a wild card like Smithy.

But again, desperate times called for desperate measures.

"So what is it you're asking of me?" Smithy wanted to know.

Mario said, "I don't want an alliance or any legal binding. I just want the aid of your Axem Rangers."

"They're out of commission," Smithy said dismissively.

Mario gritted his teeth, "Then put them _back _in commission; you're king, aren't you?"

He had to take a deep breath, then; it wouldn't do to lose his temper in the presence of one who had an even shorter fuse than him. He calmed himself and glanced briefly at the bottle of scotch tucked away under the table.

"What I meant was," he reformed, "the Axem Rangers are an invaluable fighting force and their presence would greatly ensure a victory."

King Smithy considered this. "Hm...what's in it for me?"

"You want chaos?" Mario asked knowingly.

The king smirked, "You know I do."

"Then you'll be free to wreak it all over the Badlands."

King Smithy narrowed his eyes, "You dare mock me?"

"I'm not mocking you," Mario said, "Whatever havoc you want to spread over there, feel free to do so."

"And you'll not interfere?" the king asked dubiously.

"So long as you keep it in the Badlands, you have my word," Mario vowed.

At that the plumber extended his hand. Reluctantly the evil king returned the gesture and the two nemeses shook on the agreement. While they were doing so, the door suddenly flew open and hit the door with a loud bang.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mario exclaimed.

The soldier at the door was pale as a sheet, wild-eyed, and breathing hard. He could hardly speak for all his excitement.

"Your Majesty! Come quick! It's. The king. Of. The Badlands, sir. He's. collapsed. With his armies just out. Just outside the eastern b-boundaries!"

Mario's heart leapt and his blood pumped that much faster. Bowser? Collapsed and vulnerable? This was unbelievable.

"Are you sure?" He asked his soldier.

The man nodded. "I have witnesses to confirm it. The Lord of the Badlands and his Koopas are stationary just outside the boundaries, sir."

Mario set his jaw. He knew this was an insurmountably fortuitous opportunity.

_It's time to kick the bastard while he's down._

* * *

Later that night, I was still feeling frustrated. I tried to disguise it throughout the day, but that only worked for so long. Now that I was in the front room, working on a puzzle with Lemmy and Wendy, the other kids started to pick up on my sour mood.

"What's wrong, Weegie?" Larry asked.

He was so concerned that he stopped in his game of rolling the ball back and forth with his brother Iggy. I turned to the blue-haired boy and smiled gently.

"Don't worry about it," I told him.

Wendy held a puzzle piece to her mouth and studied me. She was a bit more astute than her other siblings, so I knew she'd understand what had me down.

"It's her, isn't it?" She asked.

I shrugged.

The kids were right there in the kitchen when Ludwig and I met four days ago. They heard everything. Wendy tilted her head and let pity fill her soft blue eyes.

"Luigi, you have to stay positive; she'll be okay." She said.

_How would you know that? How could you possibly know that, little girl? So naive. She has no clue what could be going on in that palace. _

Wendy was only trying to encourage me, so I didn't say any of this. From my lack of a smile or any other response, I think she caught on to how little her words meant at the moment.

She said, "You think she's in trouble."

"I know she is," I admitted quietly.

I hated to say it and put bad karma in the air, but it was true. I had a bad feeling that Daisy was in danger.

Wendy nodded sagely and said, "Then you should do something."

"Oh yeah?" I murmured, "Like what?"

It was Lemmy who chirped, "Go save her!"

"Yeah!" Larry piped up from across the room, "We can all go save her!"

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

From the kitchen Roy asked, "Why not, yo?"

He was rooting around in the fridge for the umpteenth time today. He had one heck of an appetite for a sixteen year old boy. Oh wait. I now see the irony of that sentence.

In answer I replied, "I'm not taking you guys to the Badlands. I'm supposed to be watching you guys."

Iggy pointed out, "You will be watching us...just not here."

"Well you see that's kinda' the thing," I told him, "Ludwig wants you all to stay here."

"Screw what he wants," Wendy muttered.

"Hey," I warned her tiredly.

She said, "Come on, Luigi. Do you really trust my brother to handle things? He's sorta' selfish at times."

_And if that wasn't the truth, _I thought.

Ludwig told me he'd bring Daisy by but so far I'd seen hide nor hair of either one of them. It was beyond inconsiderate, it was downright disrespectful and, like Wendy said, selfish.

"It doesn't matter," I told the kids, "I'm not taking you to the Badlands, okay?"

I did my best to work in a tone of finality and could see it had done the trick; the children dropped the matter and grew quiet.

"Come on, everybody." I said, "It's late. Let's all get to bed."

"But I'm not tired!"

"I don't wanna' go to bed!"

"We didn't finish the puzzle, Weegie!"

"Don't make us go to bed yet! I'm winning!"

It was Lemmy and Larry who were protesting, as per usual. I put my foot down, though, and told them to pack things up. The older kids took themselves to bed, but it had become a custom now for me to tuck in Lemmy and Larry.

"Weegie, can I sleep in the front room with you?" The youngest asked.

I stroked his hair and brought his blanket up to his chin.

"Not tonight, buddy." I told him apologetically.

No, I couldn't have him sleeping with me tonight because tonight I was leaving for the Dark King's palace.

* * *

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading! Please review folks, tell me what you like, don't like, etc. **

**Things are getting edgy and the suspense is building! What will happen next? Don't hesitate to leave your guesses and predictions, people! And of course, stay tuned for more :)**

**~DymondGold~**


	30. Chapter 30

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Thirty**

* * *

This morning was hell. Word had gotten round, like it usually did in the kitchens, about what had transpired last week.

Three days ago, King Bowser left for his scheduled raid on the Mushroom Kingdom. He made a show of it, marching a quarter of his legions of troops through the palace and past the villagers. His denizens all saw him off. In good spirits he was, grinning from ear to ear and flaunting his strength for all to see. Daisy had nearly lost hope. The entire four days leading up to that day, Bowser's mood had only gotten better. The way he acted, she doubted Peach was using the bottle of oil she was given. Daisy seriously thought the mission had gone to bust and that the Mushroom Kingdom was doomed.

But oh, was she wrong.

The word was, Bowser fainted just before he reached his destination. Mario came upon him but not before the effects had worn off; consequently, they exchanged blows. However, a weakened Dark King was still no match for the plumber because when Bowser was weak, he cheated; Koopas joined the fight and nearly overwhelmed the Brooklyn native. In the meantime, Bowser fled back to the Badlands but had his men secure the four borders of the Mushroom Kingdom. The entire debacle not only set the king back two days and cost him countless soldiers, but took a toll on his body as well. Daisy heard from Pepita who'd heard from two others that when the king returned to the palace, he was pretty banged up.

_So he was poisoned, _Daisy realized, _Ludwig was right; it may not have stopped him from doing harm, but it did do some damage. _

That wasn't necessarily good news. In the two days that he'd been back, nobody saw hide nor hair of him. He didn't take a single meal, and that had everyone in the kitchen walking on eggshells. It was like the staff didn't know what to do with themselves. Some of the more naive servants were grateful for the time off, but there were those of them that knew the situation at hand spelled trouble. She was one of those people. She knew that Bowser's absence told of his suspicion and she felt like she was a prime target for his inevitable ire. She was so nervous that she'd cut her hand on a knife while washing dishes.

"You've gotta' calm down," Pepita had told her, "It'll be okay."

The older girl was the one who'd patched her up. Daisy knew that Pepita was just as uneasy as her, though. Suddenly, as if it were even possible, the kitchen got even more quieter. This eerie silence immediately put Daisy on edge.

_What's going on, _she thought in a panic, looking around for anything unusual. She soon found what had shut everyone up.

The Dark King.

He was _here_.

In the kitchen.

And he was _not _happy.

Daisy was sitting on the counter, having nothing else to do, so when she saw that mane of brilliant red hair, she nearly toppled over. Instead her body tensed up and her breathing just stopped. She knew it probably wasn't in her best interest to do so, but she stared right at him. She couldn't tear her eyes away, from fear or pure shock or whatever.

_Please, please just leave, _she begged, _please just go away. _

She knew there was no fat chance of that happening though. The Dark King looked as if he were totally comfortable with no intention of leaving whatsoever. His expression was neutral, passive. Dangerous. With his eyes half-lidded in a bored sort of way, he strode right up into the kitchen as if he hadn't any other place to be. Like a broke gypsy wandering through a marketplace, that was the vibe he gave off. Daisy knew better, though.

"You've probably all heard," He drawled, "about the recent events following my departure a few days ago. Am I right?"

The king's voice was soft and quiet in the silent room. He'd spoken to a young man working the cauldron. The young man could only nod in answer, just like the others the king's eyes swept over. The royal was no fool, he knew of how much gossip circulated among his subordinates. It was no use lying to him.

The king nodded then, more to himself, as he continued to take slow steps around the kitchen. He'd drag his finger over a counter here, tap his knuckles against a pot there. These little antics kept the servants on their toes, waiting for him to get to the point of his visit.

"You should know, then, that I've never really..." He paused and looked Mistress straight in the eye, "...never really been prone to sickness or fainting."

He spoke the words disgustedly, as if the mere mention of them turned his stomach. Mistress didn't bat an eye but Daisy was getting steadily more disconcerted.

_He really is upset about what happened, _She observed dismally.

She shifted on the counter and wished she hadn't gotten up there; she was too afraid to climb down for fear of bringing the king's attention towards herself. For his part, Bowser ignored her and continued in his monologue.

"Because of this," He stated, "I'd have to assume that some...outside agent entered my body. Somehow."

The king was making his way over to the sink, much to Daisy's horror.

He said, "This agent, this unknown substance managed to screw up my _flawless_ immune system. So what was it? How did it get inside me?"

There was some emotion creeping into his voice now, Daisy could detect it. His jade eyes narrowed and the corner of his lips twitched.

In a speculative tone he said, "Something I...ate? Or drank, perhaps?"

He picked up a carving knife from the butcher's station and stepped past the burly man. The king held the hilt in one hand and tapped his fingertip against the sharp edge.

In a near-whisper he murmured, "But that would be treasonous."

And then he was in front of her. Daisy didn't care that her fear was showing plainly on her face, or that her fingers were gripping the edge of the counter so as not to swoon off of it. She was scared. Her blood had run ice cold and her heart stuttered in its rhythm when he turned those intense eyes on her. This made the king tilt his head, widen his eyes a bit curiously.

He stepped even closer to the girl until his body brushed against her trembling knees. With the knife he stilled her, put the thing up to her throat. Daisy heard someone gasp but could do nothing herself. This is what fear had done to her, paralyzed her. She sat stock-still and met the king's eyes. Her bottom lip threatened to quiver but she willed herself to remain motionless in the face of such terror.

Bowser trailed the blade harmlessly up her neck, under her chin, and over her mouth. The whole time he never broke eye-contact, though she noticed his eyes were somewhere else.

Softly he spoke, "Poisoning their own king? Who's been so magnanimous as to have taken them in? Who would do such a thing?"

The king tapped the tip of the blade against Daisy's nose, then stroked the girl's cheek with the cold, flat side of the knife. He tucked that flat side back under her chin and gazed at her a moment longer. She could swear her heart had shriveled then, crumbled up and dropped straight into the pit of her stomach.

He finally turned his head and held up two fingers, beckoning someone from afar. At that moment a handful of Koopas burst into the room and started grabbing people. Daisy clapped a hand over her mouth upon seeing several members of the kitchen staff be dragged out, and none too gently or quietly. If she could have shrieked she would have, not just because of the abrupt harshness of the terrifying scene. Not because so many others were crying out as well.

But because Pepita had been taken.

* * *

The remainder of the day had been spent in solitude. Daisy buried herself under her blanket and lay on her cot, crying. There were no windows in the cot room, so it was pretty dark regardless of whether it was night or day. Daisy embraced that darkness and shed soundless tears. She direly wished she had her voice back, she couldn't grieve properly without it.

And she needed to grieve.

There was hardly a dry eye in the kitchen later on that day, after the unexpected seizure, that is, because a nasty rumor made its way around. One that claimed Bowser had executed those people he'd apprehended earlier. Daisy knew it was a rumor and liable to be false, but the idea that any of these people she'd worked with, day in and day out, could be dead right now just tore her up inside. And it absolutely broke her heart in the worst of ways to think that Pepita, sassy, kind-hearted, thick-skinned, always-up-for-a-laugh Pepita, could be. Might be.

_This is all my fault, _she lamented. _These people didn't do anything wrong, and now they're being punished! _

The cot that had always seemed too small now felt too big, too empty, without the older girl there to fill it with her. Daisy's weeping knew no end. Those tears seemed to be coming from an eternal spring of saline and sadness within her. She shook with the force of her extreme guilt. She could never have guessed that this would be part of the mission. Or that she would get so close to someone in such a short time. Pepita had been there since day one, er, night one. Albeit a bit reluctantly. Her attitude that night made Daisy smile weakly. She'd found an unlikely friend in Pepita and now she was gone.

_It's all my fault, _she sniffed, _if I hadn't given that bottle to Peach..._

Daisy abruptly stopped crying and sat up.

_If I hadn't given that bottle to Peach, she wouldn't have been able to weaken the king. And if she hadn't been able to weaken the king, then so many more people would be dead or seriously injured right now. Mario, my cousins, and hundreds of others in the Mushroom Kingdom! _

This thought was a sobering one. It allowed her to see the necessity of her actions and the imminence of such consequences. Someone was going to get hurt in the situation. This was clearly the lesser of two evils. However, knowing this did nothing to dull the ache within her. Still, it did help her to dry her eyes and get back in mission-mode.

_I've come too far to break down now, _she knew, _I'm in too deep to turn back. _

She knew that she had to be strong and see this operation through. Otherwise, Pepita and the others' unknowing sacrifice would be in vain, and she didn't want that.

"What's going on?"

Daisy jumped, startled at the sudden voice in the room. She had been alone one minute, but not anymore. There was Ludwig, near the double doors. He came over to her cot and stood above her. With a tight frown he regarded her.

_And how pathetic I must look, _she knew. Her blanket was still over her head and her eyes were puffy and her nose red; she looked like a blubbering mess. Of course Ludwig would choose now, of all times, to pop in on her.

"The king's come back."

"He's been back for two days now," Ludwig dismissed, "Why are you crying?"

Daisy wiped her eyes again and said, "Bowser arrested some people from the kitchen today. My friend was one of them."

"You have no friends here."

"What?"

"Friends are a liability," Ludwig explained.

_That's his reasoning, _she thought, _Pepita was a friend to me, liability or not. _

"So the bastard thinks he's been poisoned?" Ludwig smirked, "Excellent."

Daisy frowned, "No, _not_ excellent; he's killing people, Ludwig!"

_Well I don't know that for sure__, _she admitted_, but it's highly likely_.

"You want him to kill some more?" He retorted frankly.

The enforcer looked like he could care less. Another thing he had in common with her enemy, she noticed; that cold detachment from individual loss. He was forever looking at the big picture, the main scheme of things.

"He's onto me," She spoke quietly.

Ludwig said, "I would imagine so; you are the one who cooks his steaks."

"You're not helping."

"Was I supposed to be?"

"I'm serious!" She snapped, "What do I do? I'm afraid he's going to find out about me."

Ludwig rolled his eyes, "He's not going to find out about anything so don't fret."

"How can you be so sure?" She asked.

He shrugged.

Daisy couldn't accept that.

She said, "I think we should just get Peach and get out of here."

"And that's just what we need," Ludwig smirked sardonically, "The king is poisoned and the woman who cooks his main meal vanishes. Not suspicious at all."

"So what do you want me to do?" She cried, exasperated.

Daisy was under a lot of stress and wasn't in the mood to be mocked. Ludwig sighed and kneeled down to match her height.

"You're overreacting, sweetheart." He told her. "As much as I'd like to pull out now, that's just not possible. The bastard knows something is going on, the arrests he made today is proof of that."

She turned her head away at that.

"Naturally, he's going to be on his guard now," Ludwig continued, "So getting the princess out inconspicuously will be next to impossible. Especially for you, since you're on his radar."

"What about you?" Daisy asked, "Can't you just teleport her out of here?"

"That would be highly counterproductive," He answered, "Seeing as how there's a certain image I must present to remain on good terms with the bastard."

"Why do you call him that if you two are on such good terms?" Daisy asked out of curiosity.

"Because we're not." he deadpanned.

"Oh."

She was a little confused; he just said he had to stay on the king's good side, and at the feast he seemed so familiar with Bowser. But in private he clearly seemed to hate the royal's guts.

"Ludwig, the king." She stopped. "The king, he. This morning before he arrested those people, he came over to me."

The enforcer narrowed his eyes, "Oh?"

"He was looking at me, touching me the whole time he was there." She stated, "I think he's onto me."

Ludwig paused. He stared off to the side and Daisy could almost hear the millions of cogs and wheels and gears turning in his complex mind. When the young man turned his sharp eyes back to her, he was smirking.

"I think he's toying with you."

"Huh?" She blinked, "Why would he do that?"

"To test you." Ludwig stated, "To get you to crack. Expect more of this type of behavior."

"Wonderful," Daisy remarked, but her voice broke and ruined the sarcastic effect.

She was definitely scared now. What else would the king do? She doubted she could hold it together in another encounter like the one earlier.

"For goodness sakes, woman, stop crying," Ludwig ordered. "It's the first sign of a guilty conscience."

Daisy narrowed her eyes, "I'm not crying! And if I was, it'd be because I'm _scared_, Ludwig, okay? I'm scared!"

"Don't be."

"It's not that simple," She replied, "Why can't you understand that?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I don't let my emotions overwhelm me so I wouldn't be able to tell you."

Daisy rolled her eyes, "I'm sure."

Then she stood.

"I wanna' see Luigi."

"No."

"I want to see him." She said again. "Please, Ludwig. You promised I'd see him every week. I'm just asking for a day, just a few minutes. That's all."

The man stared down at her for the longest. Daisy shamelessly let the moisture linger in the corners of her eyes, so long as they helped her case. After some time, he capitulated.

"Fine," He sighed, "I'll take you. Tomorrow night."

"Thank you," She breathed gratefully.

He shrugged. "Whatever. Just don't get yourself caught before then."

* * *

To say these kids were all under the age of eighteen, they could be awfully manipulative when they wanted to. Especially Wendy. The reason I was still at this bunker two days after the night I said I'd be leaving was enough evidence of this phenomena. These kids had been shadowing my every move, watching me to see if I dare left without them. If I didn't know they'd follow me all the way to the Badlands, I'd have already set out by now. However, it just didn't sit well with me to abandon them. Just because Ludwig was being an ass about holding up his end of our agreement didn't mean I had to stoop to that same level.

_Forgive me, Daisy. _

I'd find a way to get down there to the palace and get her out of there if it killed me.

Just not tonight.

Tonight I was lying on the couch, restless as usual, having woken recently from a horrible nightmare. Something about the Daisy, though I wasn't sure what. It was bad though, had me shaking and panting and sweating in the frigid living room.

Atop me, Lemmy stirred. Clad in his cotton t-shirt and pajama bottoms, he had taken to sleeping with me now. Either Larry refused to share his bed or was too wild a sleeper for Lemmy's liking; judging by the fact that I'd found the athletic twelve-year old curled up on the floor one day, I'd say it was probably the latter that was the case.

"Whas' wrong, Weegie?" The little boy croaked.

"Nothing," I said. "Just a bad dream."

He sat up on my stomach and rubbed his eyes.

"Oh," he said, "I always have those."

And that made me feel sorry for him. It was one thing for me to have nightmares, I could handle them. But a good kid like Lemmy, who never went out his way to mess with anyone, who was a decent kid out of everyone, who always stuck up for whoever was getting picked on; he shouldn't have to suffer with them.

The boy pulled his blanket over the both of us and patted my shoulder. That was his way of warding off further bad dreams. He then laid his head on my chest and fell back asleep.

About thirty minutes later I was about to do the same, but I heard something. At the door, I think. I frowned and lay there, trying to see if I'd just imagined it. Stress and the daily wear of keeping after these six kids could make a person loopy.

But no, someone was definitely at the door.

"Daisy," I murmured.

As carefully as I could, I stood and wrapped my arm under Lemmy's knees. He stayed sleep, only moving to nuzzle his head in the crook of my neck. I would have put him to bed but I was too excited to see my girl to do that. It had been so long, and to think I would've left here and missed her arrival.

_These little guys aren't so bad after all _

The doors open before I got to them and I saw Daisy, as herself, and Ludwig behind her. As soon as she saw me she ran into my arms. She was trembling.

"Hey, hey," I whispered gently, "It's alright."

Over her head I glared at Ludwig. Something told me he was behind her current state. The enforcer just stared passively back at me and folded his arms. _  
_

"Don't look at me like that," he said, "I brought her, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but look at her," I replied, "What did you do?"

"What did _I _do?" He scoffed, "I did what I said I would, so how 'bout you try being a little more grateful?"

The magician then narrowed his eyes, but not at me. He looked from his brother, who was in his true form, then to me. Oh yeah, that's right. This is the first time he's seen me with his siblings like this; I wonder why the kids were keeping it a secret from him. Well it was mostly just Wendy. Maybe she thought my knowing would jeopardize her chances of moving to the real world.

"I need to talk to you," Daisy said, "In private."

I nodded. "Alright."

Ludwig tried to take his brother but the boy tightened his arms around my neck.

"No, Lu," He whined tiredly, "I want Weegie."

At that Ludwig stiffened, dropped his arms, and brushed past me to go lean against the fireplace. I set his brother down on the couch. Even though Lemmy protested at first, I told him I'd be back and he finally let go. That was weird. I knew the kids had grown on me and guessed that they sorta' liked me too, but to choose me over his older brother? That made me question things. What kind of brother was Ludwig? His siblings didn't seem very close to him, more like they looked up to him as an authoritarian. For a fraction of a second, I actually felt kinda' bad for him.

"You two have three minutes; you sure you want to spend them sobbing and hugging?"

_And that fraction of a second has passed. _

I led Daisy to the love seat while Ludwig carried his sleeping brother to his bed. When the door clicked shut behind them, I took Daisy by the shoulders and kissed her, briefly but meaningfully.

"You have no idea how much I've been worrying about you," I told her in a quick breath.

She nodded and said, "Me too."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Yeah?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"I mean, I don't know." She struggled. "I was okay at first, just working in the kitchen. But then Ludwig gave me the oil-"

"What oil?"

"The oil that was poison. He gave it to me to give to Peach so that she could-"

"You've seen Peach? You talked to her?"

Daisy shook her head, "I saw her but I can't speak while I'm on the mission."

"Why not?"

"Ludwig's muteness charm."

"He put a spell on you?" I frowned.

"A charm," She corrected, "And it's only temporary."

I still didn't like the sound of him using magic on Daisy. It made me uneasy. For the sake of time, though, I stopped interrupting her.

"When I gave Peach the oil," She continued, "She put it on Bowser and everything was fine but then. Then he went to the Mushroom Kingdom to attack."

Daisy took a breath.

"Before he got there, the oil made him pass out and he fought your brother and now his troops are camped out around the four borders of Mushroom Kingdom."

"Wait, wait, wait," I said, breaking my own silent vow, "He fought my brother? Is Mario okay?"

"I don't know," She replied, "This is all what I've heard around the kitchen. To my knowledge he's fine. But...my knowledge is limited to the confines of the palace walls."

I put my hand on her cheek and kissed her forehead.

"It's okay," I told her, "I'm sure he's fine. He can hold his own."

"And if he's not?" She whispered.

"Then it's not your fault," I said.

Daisy started to shake. "That's the thing; Bowser's arrested some people in the kitchen and it's all because of what we did, with the oil, the poison. Luigi, I heard he killed them."

This was all hitting me like a tidal wave. Bowser attacked the Mushroom Kingdom? How far along did he get before he was stopped? Was my brother really okay? I sat back and tried to get a hold of my reeling mind.

"Luigi, I'm scared," Daisy said quietly, "Things are getting crazy back at the palace. I think he might be onto me."

"It that's the case, then you need to drop out." I stated.

"Drop out?"

"Get out of the mission." I explained, "Come back here."

"But the princess, she needs us." Daisy argued.

I nodded, "Yeah, I know. And we're going to get her out of there, together. You and me. Just not this way. This way is too dangerous."

"But-"

"Remember what I said?" I cut in, "About you not being any help to anyone if you don't take care of yourself first?"

She nodded, then wrapped her arms around my neck. While Daisy held onto me I stroked her hair, rubbed her back, tried to calm her down. I needed to calm myself down though. I was so mad at Ludwig right now.

"Daisy, come here," That man in question called, "I need to talk to you."

He was leaning against the door of his younger brothers' room. I stood up from the love seat and scowled.

"I don't think so. Why don't you talk to me, instead?"

He stared at me blankly, "What are you on about?"

"You should have told me what was going on!" I seethed, "People are getting arrested and maybe killed in the palace and you didn't tell me anything!"

"You didn't ask."

"I asked you what was going on, and if Daisy was alright-"

"She _is _alright, as you can see."

"She's in danger!"

"She's fine."

"Don't you give a damn about anyone but yourself?" I couldn't help but shout.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be helping you." Ludwig stated tersely.

"You're not helping if you send her back in there. We need to form a new plan-"

"No: we stick to the one we have."

"It's not working, genius!"

"How would you know that?" He sneered.

I smirked wryly, "You're right, I wouldn't know, seeing as how you don't tell me any _fucking_ thing."

"I tell you all you need to know."

"The king killing people? You didn't think I'd wanna' know that?"

Ludwig said nonchalantly, "The bastard kills all the time."

I wiped my hand over my face in frustration. This argument was going nowhere.

Very calmly I said, "You do whatever you want, but me and Daisy; we're leaving."

The other male smirked and said, "Daisy's a big girl. She can speak for herself and say whether or not she wants to back out of the operation."

I shrugged. "Fine. Let her tell you, then."

And we both looked at the girl who'd been silent up to now. She was still sitting on the couch, looking dejected.

"You two really shouldn't fight so much," She began, "We're all on the same side. And you're both right. We should definitely stick with this operation, but we do need a new plan."

Ludwig said, "And you think we have time to come up with one?"

"We could do it now." I replied.

"Alright, then, what you got?" He challenged.

"I can't come up with something on the spot, asshole." I shot back.

Daisy stood, "No, please you two. Stop lashing out at each other. Right now, this plan is all we've got so until we can meet again and work things out, we'll have to make due."

"Meet again?" I frowned, "Daisy, do you know how much it took for me to get him to let me see you? What makes you think there'll be a next time?"

She said, "There will be. I promise."

"It's not your word, I'm worried about." I told her gently.

She hugged me and let me kiss her forehead. Then went over to Ludwig. When he took her hand and led her towards the door, her view was ahead of her. That's when he looked back at me and I knew.

He wasn't coming back.

* * *

"I'm not going back there."

Daisy frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Your boyfriend," Ludwig scowled, "He's hindering this operation."

"I don't think he is. He's just worried about me." Daisy defended.

"And isn't that sweet?"

"Look," Ludwig said, "we need to finish this mission by whatever means necessary."

He cut off her protests with a tap to her throat.

As he walked off, he said, "Keep that in mind and you won't lose focus."

Daisy shivered in her shift and scrunched her mouth into a tight frown. She didn't like the way things were headed. Ludwig was trying to cut Luigi completely out of the equation. That's why he'd been so angry back at the bunker.

_I've never seen him lose his temper and cuss that much, _she noted, _but I'd be just as mad if I were in the dark. I didn't know Ludwig hadn't told him what was going on. _

She was just grateful Luigi hadn't seen her cut hand. He'd been too busy duking it out with Ludwig to notice, and that was unlike him. Neither of them were themselves, though. Too much had happened. Today had been long and rough. After a bit of rest, she'd try and figure things out and go from there. Right now she was physically tired and emotionally exhausted.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Why are you out of the servant's quarters at this hour?"

"And where have you been?"

_Trouble really does come in three's, _Daisy sighed. This was the last thing she needed, the Court of Magicians bearing down on her. She couldn't answer them in any case, so they started circling her like a trio of vultures.

"Rose, is that you?"

Daisy perked at the Mistress' voice. She saw the woman's head peeking through the double doors of the cot room and mentally exhaled.

"Did you get your glass of water?" She asked.

Daisy immediately caught on, and nodded.

Mistress said, "Then come, come. Off to bed with ya'."

The girl was too eager to oblige, darting past the creepy old men and ducking under her Mistress' extended arm. The short woman closed the doors behind them and then squeezed Daisy to her bosom.

"Don't ya' scare me like that again!" She admonished, "Thought the king's men had snatched ya', I did."

Daisy blinked in the embrace. She knew Mistress was hurting over Pepita's absence, too. It was comforting. But she didn't know that she was just as dear to the spunky diminutive woman's heart as well.

"After what's happened," Mistress explained, "The court's been watchin' everyone like a hawk. Be careful not to let them catch you alone."

Daisy nodded and made her way over to her cot. Through the hours, she got not a wink of sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you all for reading! Do leave a review, please! If you read this, I challenge you to go ahead and review, just say something about what you liked, didn't like, want to see, etc. Even if it's just a few words, lol. **

**I just really like hearing from you guys and getting feedback! **

**~DymondGold~**


	31. Chapter 31

**You guys I made a trailer for this fic!**

**You can all check it out by searching "Super Mario Brothers Fanfiction" it's the one with the train in the thumbnail.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-One **

* * *

_All I have to do is keep a low-profile. That's all. Nothing hard about that. Just do my job and don't make any waves. _

Only that wouldn't be possible, Daisy soon found. She'd woken late without Pepita there to shake her. Then she'd given herself a little mental pep-talk. As she walked to the kitchen, she couldn't help but liken the rest of the staff to a herd of cattle, moving towards the slaughterhouse. Upon getting to her station near the sink, she found something waiting for her.

A huge, fat-edged, thick cut of steak.

_What a coincidence, _she thought dismally.

She let her fellow servants meander around her as she stood there, looking at the slab of meat. It was like a bad omen for her. This was the first time the king would take a meal since his return. The first time since the raid. She looked over to where the barrels of wine were stored and felt a lump rise to her throat; Pepita still hadn't returned. The kitchen was incredibly quiet without her there to run her mouth or make jokes. Daisy blinked rapidly and swallowed hard, then stepped up to where the meat lay in wait inside the pan.

_The sooner I get this over with, the better. _

So she quickly went through the motions of preparing the familiar dish. While she worked, she observed those around her. They were all uptight, stiffly going about their morning chores. Some of the younger servants were especially unnerved. They were the ones making mistakes, dropping spoons and bumping into each other because they were trying to keep their heads down. It wasn't purely out of nervousness, the cause for their unease. It would seem that the king's Court of Magicians were now in the habit of lingering at the doorway. Daisy had her back to the three but she could tell where their aged old eyes were settled.

_Those younger guys don't need to worry, _she thought, _it's me those magicians are watching. I just hope they don't pick up on anything. _

She frowned.

_I mean, they wouldn't. They can't. I'm not being suspicious. Am I? I don't think I am. Just fixing this steak like I always do, nothing conspicuous about that. _

By the time Daisy finished, she was considerably flustered. It was time to bring the king his meal. She shuffled with no great haste over to the counter, then stopped. The girl contemplated leaving the plate there, letting someone else take it out to him. But she decided against that. She wouldn't be the reason behind anyone else's harm. Still, she was scared.

_What kind of mood is he in today, _she wondered, _how will he act? What will he say? Hopefully nothing. Hopefully, I'll be able to just sit this plate down in front of him and leave. _

Daisy knew better than that.

Ludwig had told her this would happen, that the king would test her: _expect more of this behavior, _he'd said. Well she was expecting it, alright. Dreading it, too.

"Rose."

Daisy jerked her head back when someone called her name. It was the Mistress. She was gazing at the girl and Daisy felt as if the older, but shorter, woman could read her like an open book. She was offering to do this for her, the Mistress was, tacitly letting her know she would cover for her if need be. But Daisy shook her head in a minute way and turned to face those damnable double doors.

_I can do this, _she told herself as she breathed in deeply through her nose. _I can face him. _

She stepped with the plate in her arms out past the magicians. They each scrutinized her, she knew, but she kept her eyes blank, straight ahead. Through the open doors she walked and then nearly stopped.

_There he is. _

Yes, there he was. Sitting lazily at his place at the head of the table, peering idly into his goblet of wine. Immediately she began to shake.

_No, you stop that, _she reprimanded herself, _get a grip and keep it. _

Even though the shaking stopped, her body reacted elsewhere. Her hands got cold and clammy, those eyes wouldn't stop blinking, the feet that were supposed to be moving her steadily forward threatened to trip over themselves, and of course her insides were a mess; heart all speedy and stomach just turning. She was afraid she'd be sick.

It didn't help that the king had that neutral look on his face this morning. She'd forever associate it with cold fury, cruelly masked as passivity. She hated that look.

"Daisy."

Said girl stopped in her tracks. As wide as saucers her eyes expanded and her breath stopped short. Her grip on each side of the glass plate tightened exponentially.

_Did he just call me by my name? My **real **name? Oh no. No, no, no. Please no. This can't be happening. How did he find out? _

_The magicians! _

_They must've told him! Oh no, no, no, no! What will he do? What will _**_I _**_do? Should I run away or will that make him angry? _

While her thoughts raced, the king leaned over the side of his chair and glanced at her.

"That _is _your name, isn't it?" He drawled, then added, "Or was it Pansy?"

Daisy felt the color drain from her face as she slowly understood what was going on.

"Violet?" He tried once more.

The girl could have laughed at the sheer amount of euphoric impulses being sent to her brain in that instant. He didn't know! He had no clue what her name was! He hadn't found out! She was dizzy with relief and had to force herself not to smile.

_How lucky am I, _she thought gladly.

"Rose." Bowser stated with assurance, "That's it, isn't it?"

Daisy nodded and he beckoned her over. Obediently she strode next to his chair and set down the plate that had grown heavy in her hands. As she was turning to leave, he took her wrist in his right hand.

"Not so fast, little angel." The king tutted.

_Uh oh: here it comes. _

Daisy braced herself for whatever 'test' was to come, but no matter what she did or said earlier could have prepared her for what the king did next.

After pushing his seat back and spreading his legs, he sat her down right in the middle of his lap. Out of some defensive instinct, Daisy immediately tried to stand back up but the king brought that right arm around her waist tightly.

"Sit," He demanded.

That tone of his had gone from bored to domineering in only a second. It scared Daisy more than anything ever had. She was putty now, completely afraid as she had been the other day in the kitchen. Her back stiffened and her ribs started to ache from how hard and fast her heart was pounding.

_Just when I thought I was off the hook, _she lamented.

Daisy was as tense as an angry Thwomp. She inched forward as subtly as she could so as not to make any contact with the king's body. Except for, that is, his arm around her middle. That hand was burning a hole through her apron, she swore.

Bowser ignored her, for right now. He was leaning over his plate and using his left hand to cut his steak neatly in half. Once that was done, he sliced off a small cube of the tender meat and stabbed a fork in it. He handed that fork towards Daisy.

"Take it," He told her.

She didn't move.

"Take it," He ordered again. "I know you're mute; are you deaf as well? I gave you an order."

Daisy raised a trembling hand up to where his fingers cradled the fork and she surprised herself by not dropping the slim metal utensil.

"Good girl," He crooned.

Bowser then relinquished his hold on the fork and dropped his left arm down to her waist to join his other. What disconcerted her the most was when he lowered his head over her shoulder.

"You cook these steaks for me every morning," He murmured, "And you do make them _so well_."

Daisy shivered. She could feel his hot breath near the shell of her ear. He noticed this and gripped her chin roughly, then turned her head towards himself.

"It would be a shame, then," He continued, "If you never got a taste of your..."

The king let his fingers slide from her chin, down her side and back around her middle.

"...divine handiwork." He finished.

_He's just testing me, _Daisy told herself, _Ludwig said this would happen. He's testing me. Testing, testing, testing me. Just do what he says and don't look at him, that's all I gotta' do. _

She knew what he wanted. Out the corner of her vision, she saw his own jade eyes studying her every move. She pushed the bit of steak into her mouth and ate it quickly. But not too quickly to where she didn't indulge in its brilliant flavor. It was no wonder the king liked her cooking so much; that small piece of steak was delicious. Unfortunately she'd yet to eat that morning, and her stomach, having had its appetite whetted, began to growl loudly.

Bowser cut off another chunk of meat and told her, "Eat."

She didn't need to be told twice. The way she saw it, she was clearing her name and getting a sample of a food she'd otherwise not get to partake in. The only problem was, Bowser started drumming his fingers against her stomach and almost made her gag. He must have felt her stomach clench because his eyes narrowed abruptly.

"Something the matter?" He asked.

She shook her head. He didn't even flinch as her short blonde hair wisped past his face in the process.

"Then go on, eat it." Bowser ordered.

He was definitely testing her. Daisy shifted uncomfortable and he tightened his arm once more. This time she felt the pain.

_There might be a bruise there later_, she knew.

The king steadily watched and toyed with his knife. Only then did Daisy realize how sharp the thing really was. And from her previous experience, she began to breathe that much quicker. Again she squirmed. She wanted to get away from him. Her head was starting to ache. Not to mention her stomach was now roiling from the anxiety upon seeing that knife in his hands. She couldn't eat another thing, no matter how good it tasted. Not in front of him. Daisy choked down that second bite, but that wasn't the end of things.

"If you're hungry, have more."

That was a veiled demand if she ever heard one.

_Please don't tell me he's gonna' make me sit here and eat the whole thing while he watches, _she thought pleadingly.

"Good Morn-Daddy, why you have that girl in your lap like that?"

At the sound of the bright, curious voice, Daisy snapped her head in the other direction. Junior was there, that little red-haired, inquisitive child was now her saving grace. She instantly knew, for Bowser's arm began to slip from her waist and he leaned back in his chair.

"What you doing, Daddy?" Junior asked in confusion.

Bowser ignored him. While he was semi-distracted, Daisy dropped the fork and tried to get up again. Bowser gripped her forearms. If she could have, she would have cried out, that's how tight he'd closed his fingers around her.

In a mock-cordial tone he asked, "Aren't you hungry?"

Daisy shook her head fervently.

Then Bowser stood, making her stand as well. He turned her by the shoulders to face him and when she did, he was gazing intensely down at her. Intimidating was too tame a word for how he appeared at that moment. Daisy

had to blink back the spike of tears. Tears? Tears for what? Maybe because, in all her twenty three years of living, she had never, not _once_, had someone direct such malice towards her.

"Are you _sure?" _The king spoke in a low, cold voice.

Daisy didn't know whether to shake her head or nod. She didn't register which she decided on doing, but whichever one it was seemed to make that malevolence leave his tone and features. He tilted his head as if she'd announced some interesting conjecture and smirked.

"I see." was all he said. "Well then. I won't keep you from your work."

That was his way of dismissing her. She felt as if that were one of the kindest things he'd done thus far. Whatever he was looking for in her, he'd obviously found it.

She just prayed it wasn't the truth.

* * *

I don't know what to do. I really don't. I mean, I know what I _want _to do; storm the castle and get Daisy out of there. But that wouldn't be right. I'd be abandoning my responsibility, which was taking care of these kids. As bad as I wanted to do something about the situation, I couldn't just leave them here. At worst they'd try and follow me or something, and I couldn't have that. So what was I supposed to do?

"Weegie?"

I glanced up from where I was on the couch with my head in my hands. Standing with his blanket dragging the floor and his thumb itching to go in his mouth was Lemmy. Not for the first time he looked a lot younger than seven.

"What is it, buddy?" I asked him tiredly.

The child was about to speak again but there was a loud thud. It sounded like it came from inside his room. Lemmy jerked his head around at the noise.

"What was that?" I frowned.

Lemmy said, "Larry fell out the bed. Again."

"Ah."

"How come you and Lu were making all that noise?" He asked me.

Suddenly, the door next to his bedroom creaked open. In a pair of black capri's and a t-shirt of the same color, Wendy stepped past it. She yawned and pushed her hair behind her shoulders.

"Yeah, what were you arguing about?" She wondered.

I said, "You don't have to worry about it. Go back to sleep."

For all the effect my words had, I might as well have been talking to the wall. Wendy folded her arms and Lemmy wrapped his blanket round his shoulders. Neither of the two moved. To make matters worse, Larry had woken up. He came ambling to the doorway next to Lemmy, making a face and rubbing the back of his head.

"What's going on?" He croaked.

"Nothing." I sighed. "Would you all just get back to your rooms now? It's late."

Wendy said, "Luigi, is something the matter?"

"No. Not really." I answered brusquely.

The less they knew about what was going on, the better. However, that only seemed to get the children even more interested.

"Is this about your friend?" She asked.

Lemmy chirped, "Your friend? The one that was with Lu?"

_They are not gonna' let this go, _I realized, rubbing a hand over my nose and mouth. _Great. _

"Yo, you really called my brother an asshole?"

"Yeah, did you?"

"Roy, Morton, go back to sleep." I replied. "All of you, just get back to bed."

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Why don't you wanna' talk about what's bothering you? That's what you did with me."

I thought for a moment. They must have all heard me and Ludwig going at it earlier. I couldn't fault them for wanting to know what was happening.

"If I tell you guys what's going on, will you go lie back down?" I bargained.

All of the kids, with the exception of Iggy, nodded or shrugged their compliance. Larry just stood there with a blank look on his face. I think he may have hit his head a little too hard when he fell out the bed this time.

"Alright, then," I said, "Come to the front room."

After they sat down on the couch in their usual seats, I stood in front of the coffee table.

"Get off my hand, Larry."

"I'm not on your hand."

"Yes, you are! Move!"

"You move!"

"No, I was here first!"

Wendy solved the quarrel between her little brothers abruptly by picking up Lemmy and sitting him in her lap. He seemed quite content there, and stuck his tongue out at Larry. The blue-haired boy didn't care, so long as he had room to stretch out his feet. But then that caused another problem.

"Ugh, Larry, put your smelly feet down." Wendy grimaced.

Larry grinned and wiggled his toes.

"They're not smelly," He claimed.

I said, "Larry, either get your feet out of your sister's face or sit on the floor."

Since he'd probably seen much more of the latter than he'd rather have, the boy opted to drop his feet down from the couch with a loud 'thunk'. His put-out expression let me know just how much he felt about having to do so.

"Now," I stated, "Tonight, your older brother and I did have an...altercation."

"'Bout what, yo?" Roy cut in.

I said, "About something important."

"What?" Wendy asked.

"Something we're working on together." I replied quickly, "Anyway, things got heated-"

"You cussed at him." Larry interjected.

Lemmy nodded, "You did say a bad word."

"You _cussed_ at him?" Wendy exclaimed.

"Yeah, he called Ludwig an asshole, yo." Roy chuckled.

"No way!" Wendy breathed excitedly.

"Yeah, way! We heard it! He called Ludwig an asshole! That's right, an _asshole_! He said it quite clearly."

I had to cut Morton off before he really got started.

"That's enough," I chastened, "And stop saying that word."

"What word?" Larry challenged.

"The cuss word." I answered flatly.

"You mean a-"

"Don't." I held up my hand, "Don't say it."

"So why'd you cuss at him?" Roy asked.

I replied, "I was mad."

"Mad about what?" Larry inquired.

"Did he cuss at you first?"

"Did he do something mean?"

"Let him talk," Wendy admonished. "So?"

I stated, "I was upset because he wasn't doing what he told me he would."

"Which was?" Morton asked.

"He and I were working on a um, project," I explained, "And he was supposed to be keeping me informed of what was going on."

I felt myself getting mad all over again.

"Daisy, my friend, was part of this project too. I only just found out that she's in a lot of danger and has been for a while."

Wendy tilted her head, "So she _is _in trouble, just like you thought."

"Yeah." I muttered.

"Well if she's in trouble," Lemmy said, "then you really need to go save her."

"Yup," Larry chimed in.

"I would," I told them, "But what would I do with you guys? I can't just leave you here."

"You don't have to leave us," Wendy said, "We can go with you."

"I don't think so."

"No, Luigi, we can help!" She insisted.

I said, "I know you guys have...special talents, but you're still just kids."

"Don't underestimate us, yo." Roy griped, "We can hold our own."

Wendy added, "He's right. And if we all work together, I'm sure we could pull this off."

I decided to humor them, just to let them see how ridiculous their reasoning actually was.

"Okay," I spoke, "If I did decide to take you guys along, which I'm not, how would we get there?"

"Where?"

"The palace."

"Which palace?"

"Bowser's."

There was a collective reaction of surprise and sudden alarm. All the more reason for them not to go, I figured. But then that surprise turned to excitement.

"Your friend is at _Bowser's _palace?" Roy asked, "Big, bad, Dark King Bowser?"

"How do you know of him?" I frowned.

He shrugged, "Ludwig always goes on about him, 'bout how dangerous he is an' stuff."

Wendy stated, "I don't think he's so fearsome. And if your special friend needs saving, we'll face him no matter what."

"It isn't that easy," I told her gently. "And you still never answered the question; how would we get from here to the Badlands?"

The kids all exchanged glances. None of them spoke right away, so I assume I was finally getting through to them. But then a soft voice sounded from near the kitchen.

"We can use one of my machines."

Everybody looked over to where Iggy leaned against the fridge with an apple in his hand. His long hair fell from his high ponytail into his eyes, so with his free hand he swept the vivid green strands behind his ear.

"One of your machines?" I questioned.

And just like that, the kids were back on the horse. Only this time they were more excited than ever. To think it was so late at night, they sure were active.

"That's right!" Larry exclaimed, "Iggs has lots of machines!"

"We can use some of his inventions!" Lemmy chimed.

Roy and Morton walked over to where Wendy was tugging on my hand. I looked down at her with a raised brow.

"Come on, Luigi," She smiled, "You have to see what's down there. Iggy is always making something new, I'm sure he has something we can use."

I let her half-drag me towards the basement with the rest of her siblings and ran my hand through my hair. Then I glanced back and saw that Iggy was the one bringing up the rear.

"Hey, wait." I said, "You guys didn't even ask Iggy if this was okay."

The lot of them all stopped and turned their eyes on their thirteen year old brother. Iggy's eyes widened at the sudden attention, having been slightly startled. He rubbed the back of his head nervously at their tacit pressure. He obviously was not keen on denying all of them.

"Uh, it's cool, I guess," the shy young man answered.

So we all headed downstairs. The steps were narrow and close together, plus it was pitch black down there so I was lucky not to have tripped or fallen. With all the kids in front of me it would have caused a chain reaction.

"Would you stop stepping on the back of my feet?"

"I wouldn't be doin' it if you'd walk faster, yo."

"Hey, who pushed me?"

"Not me! Hehe."

"It _was _you!"

"Somebody hit the lights, already!"

Wendy's command sparked someone into motion because in the next instant, when my feet hit the last step, the area was bathed in light. Er, lights; there were several different colored naked light bulbs all wired together in the center of the basement ceiling. The multi-colored glass ornaments went around in tiers so that it resembled a bare chandelier. It was pretty cool because it looked homemade.

"Ugh, this place is a mess!" Wendy said, turning her nose up as she stepped over a pile of clothes.

Roy and Morton passed by a small wood table next to the stairs, but not before taking the pair of boxers that lay atop it and flinging it at their sister. She leapt out of the way with a shriek.

"Easy, Wen, it's just the Iggster's undies," Roy laughed.

She narrowed her eyes and said, "Just wait 'til we get back upstairs."

"Why won't you get me back now?" He taunted.

"Because," She sniffed, "I don't want to break any of Iggy's stuff."

"Yeah, right," Roy chuckled, "You just ain't got any water down here, that's why."

She glared at him but didn't deny the claim. Meanwhile, Lemmy and Larry had taken a seat on Iggy's bed. From their obvious comfort on the twin-sized, black-sheeted thing, I'd say they came down here a lot. That is, before I came. I turned to Iggy and say him munching his apple near the small table by the stairs.

"Cut it out," I told the other kids, "This might be the basement, but it's also Iggy's room; try and have a little respect, okay?"

Along the same wall as the stairs and that table was the bed where Lemmy and Larry sat. Next to that was a couple of plastic tubs stacked atop each other. From the shirt that was hanging out of one of them, I had to guess that these things served as Iggy's 'dresser'. That made me smile.

_Been there, done that. _

But it seemed like the case for this was Iggy's personal preference. His room was, indeed, messy, but it spoke of how busy the boy was. He had to be to have made all the little doo-dads and knick-knacks lying around. The majority of his space, aside from the tiny area where he slept, consisted of a series of benches, tables, and materials that reminded me of a science lab. He really had a Bill Nye thing going on.

Iggy stepped past everyone and went over to one of the long foldable tables. There he pushed up the sleeves of his shirt. That shirt was white and long-sleeved and way too big for him. It trailed the floor, even. I came over to him and had to ask.

"How come you're wearing that big old thing?"

He smiled faintly up at me and said, "It's the closest I could get to a real lab coat."

After that, Iggy cuffed the sleeves near his elbows and cleared the table. He brushed those papers that littered the area right onto the floor. The others gathered round and tried not to step on the felled papers. Well, most of them did.

"Morton, could you be a little more courteous?" I scolded.

The boy had knowingly crushed some detailed-looking drawings. He merely shrugged.

"Iggs shouldn't have knocked them on the floor if he didn't want 'em stepped on."

"It's alright." Iggy said easily, "I keep all my ideas in my head anyway."

The boy grabbed a stack of blueprints from another table and laid them before us.

"This is my flying machine," He declared.

I looked over the prints while he moved yet again to one of the other tables. He came back with what looked like a toy airplane. It was red and blue and green and yellow and white. It also looked homemade.

"See here is the motor," He pointed out, "And this is the controller thingy."

"Controller thingy?" I frowned.

He moved his finger over to the steering apparatus. Several more things he described to us, much to my confusion and his siblings' boredom. It was clear to me that the boy knew what he was talking about, even if he didn't have the proper names for certain terms, but I was still confused.

"Iggy, this little toy of yours is all well and good," I told him, "But how is this supposed to get us anywhere?"

He smiled widely then, showing his bright white teeth. The kid led us over to the corner of the room where a gun-shaped item sat in a locked box. He picked up the glass cube and stuck his finger in the keyhole. He gave the lock a turn and it popped right open. Then he took the colorful object over to the main table with the plane.

"This is my expansion ray." He spoke quickly. "It maximizes the size of whatever I shoot its energy at."

"And where does the energy come from?" I asked.

"Me." He answered, "I use my magic."

"I see," I murmured. "Can you give a demonstration?"

Iggy nodded eagerly and cracked another smile. He aimed his ray at the plane, tweaked a dial on the side of the weapon, then pulled the trigger. The stream of light was uncannily the same shade of green as the young inventor's hair. Once the plane was hit, the thing began to glow and then...grow! It started getting bigger and bigger until it was about four feet all around.

_Now that is cool, _I had to admit.

"Can you make it any bigger, Igg?" Larry asked.

"Yup," The boy nodded. "I can make it so that we can all fit."

"Excellent!" Roy grinned, rubbing his hands.

"Excellent, indeed!" Morton rang, "Fantastic! Absolutely wonderful! Positively superb!"

"Yeah, it's great," I cut in, "but what about fuel?"

Iggy scratched his ear. He was fidgeting a lot, now that I noticed. He was shifting from foot to foot as well, as if he couldn't keep still.

"Um, fuel?" He asked.

I nodded, "Yeah. What does it run on? What makes it go?"

Those were the key words.

"OH! You wanna' know what makes it go? That's easy," He claimed, "Water!"

"Water?" I frowned.

He bobbed his head exuberantly, "Yup. Water!"

The boy moved back to the area where the glass box was and bent down. Iggy pulled another gun that was wrapped in a shirt from under the stool. After unwrapping it, I noticed it looked much like the first, all colorful and childish.

"What's that?" I asked.

He said, "This is my Smallness Ray; it makes things tiny."

Without further ado, he shot the ray at the plane and shrunk it back down to toy-size. He then put that gun on the table.

"You use your energy for that, too?"

He nodded.

Wendy put a hand on her brother's shoulder proudly.

"See, Luigi? We can do this." She insisted.

Iggy said, "I have lots more inventions, too, like a driving machine, and a voice modulator, and grappling hook, and a floating machine, and little mice that can record stuff, a directions-giver-"

"Let me stop you right there," I said. "I know you all want to help, but there's no way I'm taking you guys to the Badlands."

Several downcast faces turned towards me. Then the protests began.

"Come on, Weegie!" Lemmy spoke, "We have to help your friend get away from the evil King Bowsy!"

"Bowser," Iggy corrected.

"No," I told them, "It's too dangerous."

_He's killing people over there, _I would've added, but I didn't want to scare them.

Wendy sided with her brothers. "Luigi, we can definitely succeed in this mission if we all work together."

"What mission?" I frowned.

She blinked. "The mission to save your true love."

_Oh the romanticism of teenaged girls. _

Roy pretended to gag while Morton laughed at his antics. Wendy glared at the two. She gazed at me with her eyes significantly softer and her voice lowered.

"Luigi, I don't understand why you won't let us help you," She said, "Don't you miss her? Don't you want to free her from that dangerous place?"

The girl had the makings of a real manipulative woman. The type that could bring a man to his knees with a few words, they type that could make a slave of him with her wiles. It wasn't working on me, though.

I was her babysitter.

"Of course I do," I explained, "but I'm not about to put you guys in harm's way to do it. And besides, Ludwig would probably try and kill me if he found out."

"He wouldn't find out," Wendy said waveringly.

"Really?" I replied, "You know he likes to pop in at random intervals. He could be here right now, for all we know."

I could see that Wendy's guard had slipped because a panicked look crossed her face for a moment. She then schooled her features so I assumed he wasn't here. However, her reaction only proved my point.

Roy said, "So let Ludwig find out, yo; we ain't afraid of him!"

"Speak for yourself," Larry muttered.

Roy rounded on him. "You chickening out, Little Boy Blue?"

Larry rubbed at his blue mohawk and said defensively, "No! I'm just sayin', Ludwig is pretty scary when he's mad. That's all."

"Yeah, he is," Lemmy shuddered.

"And that's why you need to stay here." I adjourned.

They all had something more to say but I was done discussing the matter. With great effort, I herded them all back to their rooms and got them settled back in for the rest of the night. Like I said earlier, I'd figure something out. But it won't include dragging the six people I'd reluctantly gotten attached to near the infamous bastard king.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading this shorter chapter! And I hope you check out that trailer! It's very amateur, but hey; I tried, lol. **

**Anyway, please review and let me know all about your reactions, opinions, and whatever else you discovered or noticed about the chapter! Thanks again and stay tuned for more!**

**~DymondGold~**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thanks for watching the trailer! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

* * *

You know that feeling you get when you're lying down and you can feel something crawling on your face?

No?

Well, I did. I was experiencing it right now, actually. It was like something, a bug or insect with a hundred legs, was moving over my nose. The sensation was light, feathery, but just persistent enough to make me want to wake up and tend to it. So I did. And boy if I wasn't shocked when I got up.

First of all, I was outside.

I must have been lying on my back because it was sore and stiff and I could feel the grass stains wetting my shirt. That's another thing, there was grass and bushes and brambles and trees, healthy, moist, trees everywhere. It was like a jungle. Not to mention the heat was already hitting me and I hadn't even been lucid a good ten seconds.

_Where the heck am I? _

I stood to my feet and swatted some flying thing out of my face. All around I heard the sounds of a typical jungle; birds cawing, toads croaking, insects chirping and the like.

_Where in the world am I? How did I get out here?_

"Good morning, Weegie!"

That voice. I knew that voice, but where was he? Where was that little kid I'd seen not hours ago?

"We're over here, yo!"

I knew that voice, too, as well as that familiar speech impediment. Around completely I turned and that's when I saw them. All six of the little culprits. I crossed my arms at the children sitting there, sporting their most innocuous, cheesy smiles.

"Explain yourselves," I demanded quietly. "Quickly before I lose my mind."

Wendy stood. "Luigi, I'm sorry we did this, but we couldn't just sit by and let you wallow in your crisis."

"Wallow in my crisis?" I frowned, "What did you do?"

Lemmy chirped, "We packed up our stuff for the mission and teleported you here."

"And where is here?" I asked.

None of the kids had an answer for me. Iggy started toying with his. Well. I didn't know what he had in his hands but he started fiddling with it. All the others watched. They, unlike me, were dressed for the humid weather. Wendy had on a pair of white cuffed shorts and a t-shirt that tied up in the back. Ludwig would have a fit if he could see how her midriff was bare and that body glamour stuff was in the shape of a valentine over her navel. She had her hair pinned up and her feet were bare. Her brothers all wore basketball shorts and t-shirts. None of them had on shoes, either.

"Alright, I got it!" Iggy cried, "We're in the Jungle!"

I sighed and said wryly, "I think I garnered that much, Igg."

"The Jungle is pretty close to the Badlands!" He pointed out.

"That's wonderful," I stated, "But we're not going there."

"What?"

"How come?"

I held up a hand and said, "I don't know how you guys got me out here-"

"Teleported you." Iggy informed me.

"Well one of you needs to teleport us back. Come on you guys, let's go." I said.

The children shared a glance.

Wendy said, "We have to all be touching."

"Well join hands," I spoke.

"It's not that easy," She told me, "We have to pool together a ton of energy. Energy we don't have right now."

I stared at them all. "So you're staying we're stuck here?"

"No," She said, "Just saying we can't teleport back to the bunker."

"And the bunker is like, a thousand miles away," Iggy stated.

"How convenient." I muttered. "You kids poofed us out here and can't get back. So what are we supposed to do?"

"Storm the bum king's palace, yo!"

"Yeah, and rescue your true love!

"Of course." I said flatly.

I, again, looked the children over. I had to give them credit. They could be awfully determined sometimes. And the fact that they all worked together spoke volumes about how bad they wanted to pull this off. I decided that since they were here, and there was no going back now, I'd make the best of the situation. So I sat down and crossed my legs.

Then I shed my jacket because I was about to be sweating bullets out here.

"Alright." I capitulated, "You guys win."

They all cheered.

"But now we need a plan of action."

Silence ensued.

I turned to Iggy and said, "What all did you guys pack?"

It was Wendy who answered, "A change of clothes, one of our most favorite possessions, a sack of food, some clean water, a medical kit, Iggy's inventions, and some more clean water."

"Iggy says there's no clean water around here, that's why." Larry explained.

I looked over the kids' stash; Each of them wore a backpack with all its contents in front of them. Like Wendy said, I saw clothes, a white first-aid box, plastic bottles of water, lots of food that had been shrunk down to size, and of course the surplus water stored in a container.

"Whose idea was it to shrink the food?" I asked.

"Mine!" Lemmy said. "I told Iggy to make everything little so that we could put it in our pockets, but Wendy said we might get split up and then we won't be able to use them. So we just shrunk the food and that container."

"Ah." I hummed.

Among the inventions was the Smallness Ray, the Expansion Ray, and the things that looked like toys; the colorful plane and car and boat. There was also a handheld device that Iggy was currently fiddling with.

"What's that?" I inquired.

Iggy said, "This is my Directions-Giver. It tells us where we're going and how far away it is and stuff."

"Ah. Like a GPS. Did you make that, too?"

He shook his head, "Ludwig brought it from the other world for me."

"Oh." I then asked, "Can it tell us how to get to the Badlands from here?"

"Yup!" he smiled.

"Then we might as well get moving."

* * *

So many problems stemmed from that one day, that day Bowser left for the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach knew she was to blame for what happened, the king fainting, that is. She was the one who rubbed the poison on his body every night, she was the one who knowingly caused harm to another living, breathing creature. She was the one who temporarily brought down the Dark King.

She regretted nothing.

Nothing except for the repercussions. She'd heard that some people within the palace had been taken to the dungeons for further questioning and that was just unfortunate. She really wished that hadn't happened, but somebody had to take the blame. And since the king was never quick to look her way in times like these, she had a strong feeling it wasn't going to be her. Another thing was, now that the king had been poisoned, he was on edge all the time. Everywhere he went, he took her with him. Meetings with his advisors and interrogations were the only exemptions from this phenomena. As a result, she was here, in the royal courtyard, watching the king spar with his son.

Again Peach thought about her misdeed.

_I poisoned someone and I don't feel guilty, not __even __a little bit, _she marveled. _In fact, if I had the chance, I'd...do it again? What is wrong with me?_

She blinked and looked down in her lap with her bare hands gripping the sides of the stone bench she sat on.

_What's wrong with me?_

Then the woman lifted her head and gazed at the victim of her wrong-doing. The Dark King. There he was, moving lithely around the courtyard trading blows with his one and only child. When he shot fire from his extended two fingers and nearly clipped the side of the little boy's head, she frowned.

_He's despicable, _she reminded herself, _evil and horrid and vulgar. He lied to me more times than I can count and has no sense of compassion or goodness whatsoever. Selfish murderer, shameless fiend. He lives to prey on others. Why else would he go after my kingdom, whose people never went out their way to bother anybody?_

But this wasn't about her people, she knew. There were three people involved in this debacle, and two of them were herself and the being across from her. That's all it boiled down to, revenge and spite and pettiness. The eternal fire that Mario and Bowser harbored for one another was the cause of this new war, the cause of the killing and even her kidnapping.

Bowser stopped in his fight, knowing he had the advantage anyway, and shot a glance her way. The way he dragged his eyes over her entire frame, from the crown of her head to the hem of her navy dress made her look away quickly.

_Okay, so maybe the kidnapping was more of his own sick nature, _she admitted to herself.

But the state of things was making her angry. She had done what she believed was the right and good thing to do, which was make a personal sacrifice for the greater good. Now she found that the agreement had been a farce from the start and that the king was doing all the things he promised he wouldn't in exchange for her compliance.

_Well I'll be compliant no longer, _she thought ruefully, _it's not fair, what he's doing. He needs to be stopped. I enabled him, in some way, by getting myself stuck here. Now he has leverage against Mario. It's time I even the score a bit._

The princess tilted her head. _But how? There must be something I can do, some way I can use my position so close to him to my advantage._

"That's enough for now."

Junior had tried to launch a high kick at his father but his attempt was promptly intercepted; Bowser now held his boy by the ankle, upside-down. The tense, serious mood of the fight was thoroughly shattered when Junior started to laugh and swing back and forth in his father's grip. The king let him go suddenly, but Junior sprung effortlessly onto his palms, then flipped onto his two feet. He still had a smile on his face when he hurried to join his father, who was near the bench kissing his wife.

Or trying to.

Peach had forgotten her plan of yielding to his desires. A few days ago, during one ritual back massage, she'd vowed to herself to keep up the act even after the oil was gone. She now found that the goal tied in to her current aspiration of making the best of her situation.

_If I can get him to gradually lower his guard, _she mused, _whenever I do figure out a way to strike, he won't be expecting it._

In that case, she realized, she probably shouldn't have turned her head to the side so that his eager kiss landed on her cheek instead of her pursed lips. She tucked away this game plan for future reference. Besides, Bowser only seemed to be amused by her chastity.

"Daddy, you must really love the princess," Junior exclaimed, "That's how come you always touching her and giving her kisses, huh?"

The king smirked impishly but didn't answer that. He did crouch down to his child's height and put both hands on the little one's shoulders.

"Listen closely to me now, my heir," Bowser began, "I have a very important job for you."

Junior's eyes alighted and his missing tooth showed through the corner of his wide smile.

"A 'portant job?" He cried, "Tell me what it is, Daddy!"

"Hush." The king scolded.

Junior immediately squeezed his lips shut in a tight line, though the zeal never faded from his bright jade eyes. He straightened his posture and waited for his father to speak again.

"Now." The king continued, "You're five years old, Junior. It's time you start following in your Great and Mighty father's footsteps."

"Your footsteps?" The boy blinked.

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?" The king asked curtly, then said, "Yes. My footsteps. It's time you begin leading a legacy of your own."

With that the king stood and guided his protege to the middle of the courtyard. He then summoned a small group of Koopas from around the side of the path, the one that led back to the palace. Those Koopas marched in tight formation, three by five, all the way to where their king stood. At his feet they then bowed, then stood before their prince and awaited further instruction. Junior was confused.

Bowser explained, "This is your starting army."

"Army?" The boy frowned, "But I thought they fight for you, Daddy."

"Stop talking and listen to me, Junior." Bowser ordered impatiently.

He stated, "This is your squad and you are their leader."

"Like a gin roll?" Junior piped, then clapped a hand over his mouth.

Bowser gave him a hard look but sighed his frustration away.

"No." He told his son, "You're not a general. Not yet. You still have a way to go before you're ready for that kind of responsibility."

The king then asked, "Have you been studying those battle tactics I showed you?"

Junior nodded exuberantly, "Yes, Daddy."

"Good." His majesty remarked. "These creatures belong to you now. They're yours to command."

"Really?" Junior breathed incredulously.

The boy could hardly fathom that the Koopas standing at attention in front of him were now under his governing. Bowser stood behind his child and once again ducked to his height. He looked him straight in the eyes and fixed the child's crown. It had slipped to the right in an unseemly way during their 'fight'.

"Would I lie to you, my brilliant heir?" Bowser smirked in answer to his son's skepticism.

Junior could recall such instances where his father had, indeed, told him one thing and yet had done or said something contrary to what he'd earlier stated. However, the five year old knew better than to bring this up to his king, especially during the rare occasion that he was being praised and gifted with something in the same instance.

If Bowser noticed his son's hesitation, he made no remark about it. Instead, he stood and gestured to the Koopas.

"Go on, then." He told his son, "Give them an order."

Junior asked, "An order? Like what?"

"Anything at all." Bowser replied.

Junior gazed at his men, blinking uncertainly.

"Um. Sit down." He commanded.

As one the Koopas all tucked the legs under themselves as they obeyed their prince. Junior gasped in childish surprise.

"Stand up!" He then cried.

Much to his delight, his squad all climbed to their feet again. Junior's smile was slow.

"Now sit back down!" He grinned.

They did so.

"Stand up!" the boy spoke loudly.

Again, they obeyed. Junior was getting more and more tickled by the concept of having this much control. He was so little and was often overlooked and discounted, despite his lineage. This experience was enthralling for him.

Bouncing from foot to foot he shouted, "Spin around in a circle!"

The Koopas were hardly used to such an unorthodox request, so consequently there was some furrowed brows amidst the twirling, seven-foot-tall, thick-skinned warriors. It was a sorry sight for the king to see his fearsome assets reduced to this. But his son wasn't finished.

"Now jump up and down," Junior giggled, "And sing like a Moo-Moo."

Over the resounding cacophony that resembled a herd of cattle, Bowser's voice cut in sharply.

"At ease."

Junior's laughter died down as his father's exasperated expression sobered him. He turned his large eyes up innocently at his king and held his hands behind his back.

"...That is all for now?" He guessed.

"Precisely." Bowser responded tersely. "Now go. Get back to your lessons."

Junior ducked his head and bowed at the waist, trying to hold back the pout from his mouth. As he left, his new squad trailed behind him.

From her place on the bench, Peach had seen it all and was completely appalled. When she was five years old, she remembered getting her first hand-mirror; Bowser just gave his son a pack of vicious killers.

_He's conditioning him for a leadership position, _she knew, _not only that, but he's trying to make sure the boy turns out just as evil as he is._

As much as the princess hoped that the power wouldn't corrupt the child and that he'd end up alright, she knew that would probably not be the case. Junior was heavily influenced by his father and to make a dent in his growth and development, she'd have to get him out of his current environment. Right now she couldn't afford to do that. She had herself and her people to worry about, that was enough as it was.

_Still, I wish I could do something for him. He's such a precious little boy, and I'm sure he'd be a fine young man, under the proper circumstances and with the right amount of nurturing, _she mused.

Bowser took her hand.

She hated to, but Peach didn't pull away even when she saw him bring the pale, bare thing up to his mouth. Instead, she tried to get him talking. She had not forgotten about the young girl she'd made a friend of, that blonde kitchen maid.

_If I can get some information out of the king, I'll pass it on to that girl, _Peach resolved, _and then, she'll pass it on to whoever she's working with; the mysterious person who sent me that poison. _But first she had to get him talking.

"What will you do now?" She asked.

The king pulled her to her feet and held her round the middle. Very subtly Peach wiped the back of her hand on her dress.

Bowser shrugged and murmured, "Nothing too important; meet with my magicians, deal with some prisoners from the kitchen. I need to get to the bottom of what happened before I leave again."

"You're leaving again?" Peach asked in alarm.

She blinked and toned down her voice to a level of nonchalance.

"Where to?" She then asked.

Bowser smirked and dipped his head down near hers.

"Why? You gonna' miss me?" He taunted.

Peach didn't roll her eyes like she wanted to, nor did she say, _not a chance, you raving madman_. No, she just forced a blush like how she was taught in finishing school (a blushing princess is oh so becoming) and glanced away.

"I'll be going back to your kingdom, as a matter of fact." he told her.

She looked up at him, "Can't you just leave them alone?"

"I could. But I won't." He grinned.

"But you have so much here," She reasoned over her frustration, "Why attack them and lose more men?"

That was obviously the wrong thing to say because now the king was mad. Furious, even. Not at her, granted, but he was angry nevertheless. The way he saw it, that was all the more reason for him to blow the plumber and his meager forces out the water; they ought not have messed with the Lord of the Badlands. Now they had to pay. That was the only thing that calmed him. They would pay. Surely they would.

With a cool smirk he said, "I have plenty men to spare. And besides, I need to teach that buffoon of yours a lesson."

Peach winced.

Bowser narrowed his eyes, "Aw, Peaches, don't tell me you're still hung up on him."

Her brief expression of displeasure was answer enough. Bowser sighed testily and brought his mouth down on hers. He wasn't rough or demanding with this kiss, that wouldn't win her over. You catch more flies with honey, not vinegar, as the old saying went. Consequently, his movements were slow and deliberate and downright sinful. He bit down softly on her bottom lip and caressed her tongue with his own. There was fire in his every touch, flames blazed in the wake of his fingers as they smoothed over her hips and up her back. He was kissing her in ways she never knew she wanted to be. He was giving her what she didn't know she wanted until this very moment.

_But not like this, _she desperately reminded herself, _don't give in! don't give in to him! Just stay strong and...oh, what is he doing to me?_

She didn't know but he had his hands cupped on either side of her face and was wreaking sweet Hell on her nerves. When he finally let go of her, she was shaking.

"You need to get whatever notion you have of being with that plumber out of your head." He murmured.

He pecked at her lips and said, "You are _my _wife, not his. You belong to _me. _Understand?"

And all she could do was nod.

* * *

From the day of her encounter with Bowser onward, the Mistress had relieved Daisy of her serving duties and had given her the rest of the day off. Now all she did was make the steaks for the king and go back to bed. She supposed there were other things she could be doing, but she was too scared for that.

The magicians had taken their stalking up to a whole new level and constantly badgered her. The king had even begun to watch her whenever she happened to be going to her cot from the kitchen. The looks her gave her reeked of suspicion. And none of the people arrested, not Pepita either, had ever been seen again. Daisy was starting to lose hope.

So now she sat on the edge of her cot with her head in her knees. She hadn't planned on getting up to eat or anything, she had no appetite. She also didn't plan on having a visitor, but that soon changed. Someone had gotten into the room without her knowing, and was now tapping on her shoulder with hands that were impossibly soft and gentle.

"Hello."

It was the Princess. The first thing Daisy wondered was how in the world she'd torn herself from the king's side. He had her under his supervision the majority of the day. He had to be in a meeting or tormenting some unfortunate soul in the dungeons for her to have been able to come down here. Daisy stared at the fair-haired woman in surprise.

"I know you are a friend, and that I can trust you," Peach stated unsurely, "So I want you to pass along a message for me. To whoever gave you the poison."

Daisy's brows jumped. She hadn't planned on this at all, but it was a welcome turn of events.

"Can you do that for me?" Peach implored.

Daisy's head bobbed twice in understanding. Peach then smiled a broken smile and dropped the hands she was wringing.

"The king is going back to the Mushroom Kingdom in two days," She spoke, "He's planning on taking two separate divisions; one to reinforce the borders, and another, smaller sector to capture Mario. That's the prince and my fiance."

Daisy frowned; _this can't be good, _she knew.

"You will pass that on as soon as you can, won't you?" Peach asked worriedly.

Daisy nodded one slow, meaningful time. The reluctant Queen then smiled again and left in a hurry. Daisy didn't know what to make of the meeting. She was glad for it, because there was no way Ludwig would be proud of her recent inactivity, no matter the circumstances. And then, by some deviation of fate, he was there.

"What do you have for me?" He asked.

Daisy relayed what she'd just been told and watched the young man's expression turn to that of intrigue.

"He's been slighted," Ludwig said, "He'll likely drag Mario back here to be humiliated and killed."

"We can't let that happen." Daisy said.

"It might." Ludwig told her, "Mario might be on his own with this one."

"Can't you do anything to stop this?" Daisy replied.

Ludwig was irked. "I'm already doing much more than you know, Daisy. For your sake, I've tried to involve your kingdom's soldiers in this ordeal as minimally as possible. But soon, the king will demand I join forces with him."

"Please stall him," She whispered.

"I'm trying," He spoke, "But it won't be long before they're in the mix of things. Now I've been building up a special unit of men to go undercover and combat the bastard's Koopas. They're faceless, nameless, completely un-trackable."

"How many men are in this division?" Daisy wanted to know.

"About a hundred, give or take." He answered.

She shuddered, "That's a lot, Ludwig."

"It's necessary." He told her.

What he _didn't _say, was that these were no ordinary Sarasaland soldiers. He'd programmed these men through stringent training and conditioning to be, not only elite fighters, but loyal to the core when it comes to preserving total anonymity. He was sure she wouldn't appreciate that bit of news, and what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"So you'll be sending these men out to the Mushroom Kingdom, then?" Daisy asked.

Ludwig nodded, "This will be their first run. Hopefully they'll push the bastard back a few more days, and by that time the plumber should have enough time to put up a decent fight."

This calmed Daisy somewhat. "Okay. I guess that's all we can do."

"No," He stated, "All _you _can do is lay low. The king, he met with me not too long ago and he talked about you."

"Me?"

"You."

"What did he say?" She asked apprehensively.

Ludwig shrugged, "Not much, just that he thinks, 'the little tart may be hiding something'."

"He called me a tart?"

"Indeed." Ludwig smirked, "But I think that's the least of your worries. You need to keep out of sight. I fear your ruse is beginning to thin out."

"Huh?"

"The king," Ludwig elucidated, "He's starting to pay attention."

* * *

This room had really become something of a second home for him. This room that played host to allies and ex-enemies and in-betweens; anyone willing to lend a hand, really. It was his sanctuary in these distressing times. It was his war room. Right now it was doubling as a temporary clinic as he let his head nurse patch him up. That gash he got from his fight with the cheating king was nearly healed, the nurse was in the process of changing its bandages though. While she worked, she had to maneuver around him as he moved a pen across some parchment or occasionally took a drink from that familiar bottle of scotch.

"Ah," He hissed softly, "Mel, you got peroxide on my paperwork."

The nurse, Mel, tilted her head. "If I may, Highness; shouldn't we be doing this in the infirmary?"

"You've got a point there." He admitted tiredly, "But I just don't have the time to pull away from these documents."

Mario finished up one sheet, but then he sighed because there was a pile of new ones waiting to be filled out. He moved to stretch his arms behind his head, ignoring the sting of his chest wound. He was used to extreme amounts of pain by now.

"Please be still, Majesty." The nurse entreated.

"Majesty!"

A guard was at the door. This was what he had to deal with, all the time. He never could catch a break. Not that he'd ever ask for one. He'd not rest until his Peach was back at his side and that menace Bowser was dealt with.

"What is it?" He asked of the guard.

"He's here." The man said.

Mario nodded. "Bring him in."

The guard stepped aside and let into the room one of the members of a notorious Brooklyn 'organization'. The young man was stocky and covered in tattoos. He was dressed in a torn-up black vest and heavy denim jeans to cover the tops of his steel-toed boots.

"What the heck is goin' on?" The man cried.

He was obviously freaked out. His black eyes were wide and bewildered and his stance was all fidgety.

"Calm down," Mario stated, "I'm the guy from the phone."

"Mickey?"

"Yeah." Mario lied. "I'm Mickey. From the phone."

The other man panted but was starting to relax. While he did that, Mario motioned for the guard to get out of the room.

"You, too." He told the nurse.

She put her hands on her hips. "Your stitches, Majesty."

"I'll get to them later." he told her.

She rolled her eyes but packed up her equipment and left the room. Then it was just the two of them.

"I don't understand," The man huffed, "I was at the alley like we agreed, and you weren't there!"

"I know, and I apolo-"

"Then these colorful freaks showed up and knocked me out! Next thing I know, I'm outta' the alley and in front of this big white fairy tale castle!"

The guy was getting hysterical again so Mario cut in. He wouldn't tell him the truth, that he had his magicians scoop him up and bring the guy here. He'd just try and talk some sense back into him.

"Sorry about all this," the plumber said, "Those colorful freaks are my...associates. They escorted you here beca-"

"Escorted, my _ass_!" The guy shouted, "They hit me over the head so hard I think I might have a concussion."

_If you even know what that means, _Mario scoffed.

Aloud he asked curtly, "Can we get down to business or do you wanna' whine some more?"

The crime agent sobered and twisted his mouth in a scowl. Mario then continued.

"Now as I was saying," He spoke, "I did intend to meet you in the alley but, as you can see, I'm in no condition to do that. So I had you brought here to my palace. Now. Onto our affairs."

"Right," The guy murmured, "The toys. How much are we talkin' here?"

"How much did you bring?" Mario inquired.

"The whole lot, like you asked." The guy stated.

Mario stood, which put the other man on edge. He went over to the door with some difficulty, seeing as how he never finished getting his wounds re-dressed. He peeked his head down the hall and beckoned his magicians into the room. With them, they carried the cases of the arms the crime initiate claimed he had.

The magicians set the metal cases on the table while Mario shut the door behind them. And locked it. One by one the four cases were charmed open to reveal the numerous power weapons inside.

"Assault rifles," Mario hummed approvingly.

The crime agent began to fidget. _How did those freaks open the locks when the keys are in my back pocket, _he wondered.

"Alright," He said sharply, "Now what about you? You got the grease?"

Mario said coolly,"I don't think I'll be needing that."

"The hell are you on about?" The guy cried in disbelief, "You ain't gettin' this stuff for free, now; you gotta' pay up!"

"I don't think I will." Mario shrugged.

"What?" The guy shouted, jumping to his feet.

"Sorry," Mario said, "I just don't have that kind of money. But I really need these guns."

Mario then gestured to his magicians to take the cases. As they did so, the guy pulled a concealed hand-gun from his waist and aimed straight for the plumber-turned-prince who'd wronged him.

"Take one more step and I'll blow your head off!" He threatened.

Mario didn't bat an eye. "Oh really?"

"Yeah!" the man cried, highly incensed, "Nobody pulls a fast one on me and mine!"

"You and yours?" Mario spoke. He sighed, "I know all about _you and yours._"

That made the man's hand falter.

Mario explained, "Yeah, I did my research pal. I know how you and your brothers' have been operating out of that pharmacy in Queens for almost eighteen years."

"So what?" The man huffed.

His finger fiddled with the trigger.

"So I wonder what'll happen to your uh, 'booming business' once the feds get an anonymous tip on your location." Mario threatened.

Now the guy laughed, "Just try it, why don't you! Then you'll see what happens to fanciful snitches like you!"

For all his talking, the twitchy-eyed thug didn't know what hit him when the magicians disappeared and reappeared behind him. Between the two of them, the guy was apprehended, forced back into his chair, and bound by the wrist to the arms of the chair via conjured manacles. Immediately he began to struggle. Mario just stared blankly. He hadn't so much as broken a sweat throughout the entire exchange because he knew he was never in any real danger. The guy was monologuing for a reason; he was a gun-shy initiate, more bark than bite.

"Make duplicates of those guns," Mario ordered of his magicians, "Pack the originals back in their cases, lock them, and send Al Ca-phoney back to the alley. Don't forget to do a memory wipe."

The magicians nodded silently and went about their work. Mario hated to handle things this way, but he wasn't doing as bad as he could be. With the guy back in the alley with all his original weapons and no memory of what had transpired, it would be as if this supposed 'Mickey' person never showed up in the first place. The guy would go back to hustling in the pharmacy, and Mario would have the guns he needed to supply his front lines.

Everybody wins.

As for bullets, well, those could be duplicated, just like the weapons. The only thing he had to worry about now was training his men to operate these things, but that wouldn't take long. And once that was done...

Not even the Mighty Dark King will be able to contend with his forces.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you all for reading! As per usual, please review! I'm glad you're liking the story and thanks for staying with me!**

**Out of curiosity, which chapter do you guys like best? Why? **

**Not mandatory but I'd like to know what you guys like :) There's more to come and I'll be updating about every day again; sorry for the long wait with the other one. Until next time! **

**~DymondGold~**


	33. Chapter 33

**Thanks again for watching the trailer for this story, it means a lot to me! **

**There will be a bit of mild gore from here on out...just a fair warning. **

**Depending on how you guys feel about this chapter, I might post a second update before the day is out.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

* * *

The Jungle seemed vaguely familiar to me, for some reason. It was as if I'd been here before. Which was crazy, because I know I couldn't have. Through all our adventures together, I don't remember me and Mario ever coming to a place where the vegetation not only lived and grew, but walked around on its little spindly roots.

That was something I'm sure would've stuck out in my mind.

I had encountered some Piranha Plants in Peach's kingdom before, but none of them actually walked around upright. That was a creepy detail I would have recollected. It was a good thing, after all, that Daisy had decided to leave that bag Mario gave us with me. Inside it was a dagger I almost forgot about. It had come in handy when one of those plants impeded our path and came snapping at me. I never was much of an environmentalist so I had no problem cutting the thing a few times to get it to go away. But that wasn't the only ordeal I faced with the children in the Jungle: name-calling, tripping over brambles, numerous pit stops, and of course the bickering had all been a part of this happy little nature hike. I was starting to regret ever telling the kids about what was going on in the first place.

Following Iggy's GPS device had now brought us to the end of the thick-grassed terrain. The ground gave way to this sea of thick, shimmering purple liquid. I frowned.

"What is this?"

"Acid," Iggy stated. "We have to get across it. The Badlands is on the other side."

I said, "Okay. So how are we gonna' do that?"

"We can use my floating machine," He replied.

He gave the GPS to Wendy while he dug through his backpack. From it he pulled out that toy boat. Without being prompted, he took his Expansion Ray and enlarged it several times over before giving it a push.

"Cool!" Lemmy exclaimed.

It was pretty cool. Until everybody started fighting over where they wanted to sit. I was really getting tired of listening to these kids fight all the time. All it told me was that they weren't ready for a serious mission and definitely not ready to be dealing with the Dark King. So that's why I already had a plan in mind to send them back home once we got to the Badlands.

* * *

"Majesty, come quickly!"

The door to his war room banged open and there stood a guard, frantic and bewildered. The look was becoming more and more popular as this new war waged on.

Mario bolted from his seat at the head of the long table and pulled the paperwork off his cheek; it had gotten stuck there via a pool of drool. If the Brooklyn native knew one thing, it was that he only did that when he was especially exhausted. He hurried from the room and wiped his cheek along the way. His guard then strode through the palace, out the front doors.

"What's going on?" Mario croaked.

Despite his groggy tone, he was wide-awake and ready to go. It wasn't as if he'd gotten much sleep anyway. Not one single night he's slept through since his fiancee went missing. His dreams were bitter and his slumber restless, filled with regret and anxiety of the situation his Peach was in. But no matter. That was what sedatives were for.

"Your Majesty," The guard raved in a breath, "I just came from the Southern borders, and I. I mean there was. There was."

"Go on, get it out!" Mario ordered.

The guard shook his head and said, "I think it may be best you see for yourself."

And so he did.

Once the two of them got to the southernmost border, Mario beheld the absurd phenomena that had his guard stammering. He climbed off his horse and whistled lowly at the site of bodies, dead bodies, strewn along his boundary. The bodies were that of the Dark King's Koopas. Mario approached one of them and made a face. It was a nasty sight indeed.

"Cause of death?"

"Injection," The guard spoke faintly, "L-Lethal injection."

"Damn straight, it had to be lethal," Mario muttered, "Look at these poor bastards."

He grimaced upon one such 'poor bastard' that, like the rest of the Koopas, stared back at him through drained, soulless dull eyes that were as black as tar and sunken in. The skin on the creature was puckered and pale grey, as if the pigment had been sucked out of it. Hunched in on itself like a premature fetus it was, stiff as a board and sporting a horrific, pained expression of frozen surprise. Even Mario couldn't look at it too long.

"What in the world were they shot up with?" He wondered.

Down the row of carcasses he walked, then saw something odd. One particular Koopa was twitching intermittently. Mario used his boot to turn the piteous thing onto its back. He saw the Koopa's eyes roll into the back of his head over and over again as its body jerked spasmodically.

"It's still got the thing in him," Mario frowned.

As the last of the poison took control, the creature lay still. Mario glanced over the empty syringe lodged in its neck and saw that a piece of paper had been stabbed through the needle. He bent to one knee and gave the syringe a tug. He plucked the paper from the needle, then stood rapidly and tossed the thing aside, wiping his hands on his pants.

_We're on your side. _

That's all that was written on the paper. Whoever had done this was on his side? Well Mario was glad for that. He'd hate to see what happened to the Koopas befall his men as well. But the plumber was still confused; _Who _was on his side? _Who _had made this formidable poison?

* * *

Whatever answers the Dark King were looking for in her, he obviously found them. As a result, Daisy found she was no longer being watched or tested by the fearsome being. That helped ease her mind a bit, and gradually over the next couple of days following that incident she began to calm down. She did her regular chore of cooking his morning meal, and prepped herself to deliver it.

_The worst is over, _she told herself.

And when she strode out to the dining table and set the plate down, the king had spared her not a glance. She did look over to where Peach was sitting at his right with her custom bowl of oatmeal, and the two women met eyes. Nothing more; they could do only that because, although his guard was somewhat down, the king was still paying attention.

Daisy retreated to the kitchen then and hung up her apron. Her job was done for the day, now she could go to her cot and mope.

No, she still hadn't gotten over what happened to Pepita. That was the thing that was hurting her the most; she didn't know if Pepita was alive and being held in the dungeons or already dead and gone. She only allowed herself a short while each day to do this, though, because then she'd have to get back to the kitchen. Even if she just washed dishes or swept the floor, tasks that had been delegated to others by now, it kept her busy and her mind off of her missing friend. And another thing was, the magicians had less of a warrant to spy on her if she was busy in the kitchen rather than moping alone in the cot room. They'd want to know why she was there and why she was so sad and like Ludwig said, crying was a sure sign of a guilty conscience.

"Rose, can you take over for me?" Someone asked.

As she was just about to leave, she saw that one of the men near the cutting boards had beseeched her. He also had someone near him taken that day in the raid. Daisy gave him a nod and went to the rack to fetch and don her apron once more. Then she moved to the cutting board and got to work on some vegetables.

On the plus side, there were no more arrests. Things were getting quiet in the palace. Daisy knew that wouldn't last.

_Once Bowser leaves for the Mushroom Kingdom tomorrow, something will go down, _she knew. _Something will impede him, if Ludwig's word is good, and then he'll come back even madder than last time. _

And that did scare her. She didn't know what would happen then, or what would become of her.

* * *

"I can't wait to get to the real world; this world is just too weird."

What Wendy said was true, this place was incredibly strange. But the 'real world' was weird in its own respects, too. There may not be talking kitchen ingredients or multi-colored animals or any of the odd things found in the Mushroom World, but there was the Internet.

"We're almost to the other side!" Lemmy cried.

"Good," Roy muttered, "It's way too cramped in this thing, yo."

"It wouldn't be that cramped if you'd close your legs," Wendy pointed out.

Roy shot back, "No one was talkin' to you, yo. Why don't you go back to writing in your diary?"

She glared at him and said, "For your information, it's a journal."

Wendy held that sleek, hard-back pink book up to her chest defensively. I noticed she'd been writing in it as well.

"What are you writing in there, anyway?" Roy asked.

"None of your business." She snapped.

"I bet it's love letters for your Romeo," He snickered.

Morton was napping, and thank God for that. I didn't feel like hearing him run his big mouth on the matter.

"If you must know," Wendy sighed, "I'm writing down our adventures. Somebody has to, or we'll all forget."

Lemmy said quietly, "Just like how we forgot that other thing."

"What other thing?" I asked curiously.

Larry said evasively, "Uh, some stuff about what we used to do, where we used to be before we got to the bunker. That's all."

I caught the signs; this wasn't something they wanted to talk about. I let the topic go and it was just as well: we'd come to the other side of the Jungle. Thankfully, the current was so strong that it guided the boat here in a timely enough fashion. Iggy hadn't thought to build oars for his boat, after all. Now it was time to get off.

"I wanna' shrink it!"

"No, Iggy said I could!"

"Give it to me!"

"Let go, it's my turn!"

"No it's not! It's-"

_SPLASH! _

And there went the Smallness Ray, dying a horrible, bubbly death as the acid ate away at its metal parts. I sighed. Once again, I hardly believed these kids were mature enough to handle the situation over in Bowser's palace. What if it was a key to somebody's prison cell that Larry and Lemmy fought over and lost? Then what would we do? I just couldn't take that chance, especially where Daisy was involved.

"Oops," Larry muttered.

"Sorry, Iggs," Lemmy apologized.

Iggy shrugged, "It's alright. I'll make another one when we get home."

Now that that was over, we all turned from the boat to face the landscape ahead. It was a familiar sight. More trees and brush and undergrowth. From the depth of it all, I'd say it'd take us at least a day to get past it, once I factored in meal breaks of course. That wasn't good enough for me.

"Hey Iggy," I said, "Don't you have a plane in there?"

"Yup."

"You do know how to fly it, right?" I confirmed.

He nodded. "If we do take the plane, we should be in the Badlands before nightfall."

"Then let's get onboard."

* * *

The events of his last journey to the Mushroom Kingdom played through his mind. Bowser scowled at the recollection of his disgusting display of weakness. He still didn't know how it happened or who was behind his poisoning, but it would not be happening again.

_I'll make sure of it, _He growled to himself.

Atop his jet black horse he rode, glaring straight ahead as the animal's hooves pounded the dirt ground in its haste. They were so close now, and when he and his troops arrived, he'd not back down until he got what he came for.

* * *

"Your Majesty!"

"What is it now?" Mario asked.

The man was a general, that made Mario stand from his position in his study and excuse himself from the company of his advisors. In the hall, Mario studied the decorated warman.

"What is it?" He asked again in an even tone.

The General met his liege's eyes and said, "He's here."

"What?"

"The Dark King." The General spoke, "He's here."

"Shit."

"Shit indeed," The General nodded gravely, "He's brought two scores of those Koopas this time."

"He's gettin' serious." Mario stated. "Where is he coming from?"

"The North. What would you have me do, Highness?" The General asked.

"Get every soldier out there and make sure the front lines are tight-knit." Mario ordered, "And don't forget the guns!"

"But Majesty, not all of them are trained to use them yet." The General spoke cautiously.

Mario sighed, "Then they'd better learn fast. Now move!"

"Yes, your Majesty."

* * *

When the Lord of the Badlands pulled his steed to a halt, he saw that up ahead, Mario's men were there, lined up at the border with their weapons at the ready.

He smirked.

Bowser his men gathered around where he was mounted upon his horse in the center. It was time to enact his revenge and make the people of CandyCorn Kingdom pay for their leader's sins. He rallied a handful of Koopas to go with him after Mario. The rest, he left there on the outskirts.

"You have your orders," He called in parting.

That was all it took to get the Koopas to storm towards the stalwart Toads and mortals. The sight of an imminent bloodbath had the evil king grinning. But he didn't stay long.

"Follow me," He demanded of his personal squad.

He traveled through the forest while his troops barrelled straight ahead. This way, with the obvious threat of the Koopas as a diversion, Mario's men didn't even notice the king taking a hidden route towards the interior. And if they did notice, they could do nothing about it seeing as how they had their hands full with the seven foot reptilian beasts.

Bowser rode this path from the forest, past a clear lake, and straight into the marketplace. He slowed in his pace then to a gallant trot, sneering down at the cowering masses.

"I could kill them all now," He chuckled to himself.

But he restrained himself. That was not his purpose. He trudged along on his steed all the way up to the pearly front steps of the palace. How easy it was! There was no one who could stand a chance against him, after all. Now that he'd arrived at his destination, he dismounted.

"Secure the perimeter," He ordered of his squad.

They took their staves and did so. Bowser nodded in approval at then and stretched his hands behind his head. He took his time sauntering up to where his enemy stood stalwartly in front of the double-door entrance of the modest castle.

"Expecting someone?" Bowser jeered.

Mario had his features set in a hard expression. "No. Just you."

Bowser smirked, "Well then I'm glad I didn't disappoint."

And with that the king's pleasant facade was tossed aside. He sank his weight back onto his left leg and sprang himself forward. The kick that was meant for Mario's face landed in between the plumber's crossed arms.

Mario threw aside the king's leg and dropped his block, in just enough time to send his own boot thrusting into the royal's chest. Bowser leapt back to avoid the hit and grabbed for Mario's knee. The plumber was quick as well so the king grasped at air, leaving him open for a swift punch to his jaw.

Again Bowser backed up and rotated his mandible. Mario smirked now; he had nearly broken a knuckle with the force behind the blow, but it was worth it. Now he had some distance in between the two of them. Just the right amount of space to where he could dig in his back pocket and pull out that hand-gun he'd taken from the thug; yes, he'd taken it. He knew it might come in handy.

With Bowser lunging for him, Mario wasted no time in pulling back the trigger and shooting the Dark King at point blank range.

He screamed.

Maybe because it hurt that bad, or because he was just that damned surprised; the 'Mighty' king of Koopas fell to the stone ground and cradled his stricken shoulder, hissing out in pain. He didn't stay down for long though.

"You little son of a _Bitch!" _He growled out.

Mario tried to aim for his heart and fired another shot, then three more in rapid succession. Under such a pervasive barrage of attack, Bowser fell to his knees. However, it was around that time that the king had extended his hand and shot forth a blast of electric blue fire. The flames were tinged with white and caught Mario full on in the chest.

Because of the bullets wearing him down, Bowser was distracted and that allowed Mario to shed his blazing coat and undershirt in a panic.

He could feel the intense heat eating at the fabric of his clothes, trying to make ashes of his skin. In the process he dropped the gun. It skittered off to the side of the castle's porch.

Bowser was bleeding badly. It would seem for all his strength, he wasn't susceptible to this kind of weaponry. That befuddled him. On his knees he pressed a shaking hand up to the wounds that dotted his torso. He'd been weakened again, and now he was seeing red. With great effort he forced himself to stand and lumbered over to Mario.

His eyes were narrowed into slants and his teeth gnashed against each other as he held back the cries of agony that he refused to let escape. His body was riddled with bullets, but his fury pushed him on.

"What the hell _is _that thing?!" He roared.

Mario staggered back as the king took a swing towards him.

Confidently he replied, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Bowser choked out a wad of blood from where he'd bit down on his tongue during a particularly blinding spike of pain. The redness oozed out the corner of his mouth as his lips twisted in a caricature of a smile.

"You think you're so tough, don't you?" He groused, "Let's see how tough you are when I rip you to _fuckin' shreds_!"

From then on, Bowser fought with his fists, shooting fire from them, that is. The constant projectile-dodging prevented Mario from getting a hit in: he was stuck on the defensive.

With a snarl, Bowser suddenly grabbed Mario and tossed him against the double doors. The plumber winced as his back hit the stolid wood. The vibrations rang up and down Mario's spine and kept him arching his back on the cold stone ground. What's worse, was that something caught the furious king's eye.

"What's this?" He grinned madly, scooping up the metal gun.

"No!" Mario shouted.

He pulled himself to sit-up position but fell back down again. Bowser had slammed him against those doors harder than he thought. The king sneered down at his foe and clutched the weapon tightly.

"Say your prayers, Monkey-Wrench." He taunted in a low voice.

Mario glared defiantly up at the king. If he was to go out, he'd go out staring the bastard right in the eyes. Only, Bowser's eyes weren't on him. They were on the weapon.

The weapon he was fiddling with.

The weapon he was holding all wrong.

The weapon he had no idea how to work.

That proved to be his downfall because while the king struggled with the sleek black Beretta, someone saw their prince in distress and came up behind him, plunged a sword right through his back.

Stunned, Bowser let the gun slide through his slack fingers. His paralysis was temporary, though. To Mario's horror, the king rounded on his attacker with the sword still within him. It was a young man, a new recruit in Mario's army. Bowser grabbed the brave soldier by the throat, hoisted him up off the ground, and curled his lips in a bitter scowl.

"Stupid, boy," He berated coldly, "You _dare _attack me?"

With the hand that wasn't cutting off the young recruit's air supply, Bowser rent the bloody sword from his body and tossed it aside. He then glanced back at Mario and smirked.

"This is for you," He spoke graciously.

He lit the soldier afire.

This time the flames from the king's hand were white-hot. The soldier didn't even have time to scream before he was incinerated completely, reduced to nothing but ashes that slipped through the king's fingertips.

Something occurred to Bowser then. If that whelp of a soldier was able to get to him, that meant he'd gotten past the guards he had in place. He looked down and saw the the Koopas that were previously surrounding the perimeter were nowhere to be found.

No wait, one was coming towards him now.

"What is going on?" Bowser asked stiffly.

His rage was leaving him and the pain was beginning to take over. But he kept his wits about him. He'd be damned if he fainted again.

The Koopa said, "The enemy is overwhelming our forces."

"Impossible!" Bowser cried.

But it was indeed, true.

At first Mario's men had not known what to do when they found that shooting the Koopas did no good. Stuffing the beasts with bullets slowed the seven-foot creatures down, but then they'd get right back up again. One of the men, a veteran general, soon realized that the only way to truly kill the Koopas was to shoot them in the head or temple. Having realized this, Mario's men knew exactly where to strike and though they'd lost plenty of soldiers by then, the Koopas had started dropping like flies.

Bowser didn't believe this until he took off towards the borders to see it. Consumed with fury himself over witnessing the brutal murder of one of his own, Mario had pushed his injuries to the back burner and had taken chase on one of his own steeds. He knew Bowser was weakened, he was intent on not letting him go.

But Mario hadn't made it in time. Once the Dark King saw how badly things were going at the border, he called for a retreat. He and his Koopa's stood no chance against the foreign weapons and he knew it. With all the casualties, it was safe to say there was no victory for either side. However, despite the losses, Mario knew one thing.

He now had the upper hand.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review, it makes me so happy to hear from you guys! **

**~DymondGold~**


	34. Chapter 34

**Over 100 reviews, as someone pointed out: thank you guys soooo much! This is the first fic I wrote to have broken that threshold, so thank you thank you thank you! **

**I'm g****ettin' all misty-eyed over here, seriously. It's a big deal for me, so for the last time, thanks! :'')**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

* * *

It was a good thing we'd all piled into Iggy's plane because we were still riding in it almost an hour and a half later. It would have taken us way longer if we would've footed the distance. I didn't think they were interpreting the GPS the right way, which was why I'd taken control of it. It was getting darker and darker, and everybody was asleep; the exceptions were Iggy, who piloted the plane, and me on the GPS. It had been a long, adventurous day so it was no surprise the kids were tuckered out. Somewhere deep inside him, Iggy had these mounds of energy stored inside; that was the only way I could see him being active all day, playing leader of this mission, and not being tired. Maybe he was just hiding it well.

He did keep so much to himself.

Part of his personality, the part that loved inventing and creating, was talkative. It was outgoing, leaderly as demonstrated earlier, and confident. This side of Iggy, the quiet boy who idly drummed his fingers on his on the plane's handlebars, was more reserved and passive. He was still an observer no matter which state he was in, that curious facet of himself never did go away. He was an interesting kid, to say the very least. All of these children were. I turned backwards and gazed at them while they slept.

Since there were three cushioned benches in the small plane, Roy, Larry, and Lemmy were all on the one behind Iggy, Wendy and me. Larry was curled up on the floor, no surprise there, leaving Roy reclined on the bench with his little brother snuggled up on his chest. Seems like, at the end of the day, he still had a soft spot for the brother he liked to pick on. On the last row, Morton had the bench all to himself. The light from the moon was doing funny things to the star-shaped scar over his eye.

_These kids might be unique, but that's what makes them special. That's what makes me like them, _I thought.

"Luigi?"

I turned around and addressed the young girl who'd spoken to me. It turns out Wendy wasn't sleeping like I thought, she just had her head on my shoulder.

"Yeah?" I asked.

She blinked tiredly and whispered, "I like this song."

I lifted a brow and smiled bemusedly. "Okay."

On the portable radio, an old song was playing: "Under the Bridge" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. That was strange, the fact that the radio worked, because I didn't think satellites reached here. But that had been proven wrong plenty of times, now that I think of it; the GPS and radio were just two examples of many.

"This is Wendy's radio, isn't it?" I asked, because something had dawned on me.

Iggy nodded. "Yup."

"And it counts as a uh, 'favorite possession' that everybody brought along?"

Iggy said, "Uh-huh."

"And everybody got to bring just one, right?"

"Right."

"But I thought Wendy's diary, I mean, her journal was her item?"

"It was."

"Then who brought the radio?"

"I did." Iggy admitted.

I stared at him. "How come? Didn't you want to bring something of yours?"

"I did; my inventions," He stated. "The personal item was optional, after all."

"I see." I responded.

Iggy's voice got real quiet. "Luigi, I know I'm in the basement all the time, and I don't really spend much time with my brothers and sister, but I love them all a lot. Especially Wendy."

"Why is that?" I murmured. "I mean, I know why you'd love them, but why her the most?"

He replied, "'Cause she needs the most love."

"Why?" I wondered.

"'Cause she's lonely, the loneliest one out of all of us," he explained, "I brought the radio because it's the thing that keeps her from being so lonely. That way, if we ever split up, she'll have it with her still."

"Don't you think your brothers might get lonely, too?" I asked him.

He said, "It's different. Roy and Mort, they stick together. Same with Lemmy and Larry."

"And what about you?" I inquired.

Iggy shrugged, "I'm always by myself. It's what I like, most times."

I mulled over the boy's words. He was so much like myself, in a lot of ways. I did care about my brother, too. I wondered then how he was doing. Had he recovered from his fight with the Dark King? Had he fought again? Was he hurt? Seeing the kids all sleeping and hearing Iggy's honest confession made me miss my older sibling. We fought sometimes, just like they did, but I still loved him. No grudge about the Great War or anything else would change that. I wished I'd talked with him more when I had the chance because now, I feared I may not ever see him again.

_That's crazy, _I berated myself, _I'll see him again. We always do meet up at the end of things, always. _

So why was I getting all choked up? Why did the back of my eyes sting?

I inhaled through my nose and held it there a moment before blowing that air back out through my mouth. It was gonna' work out, all this. I just couldn't lose hope, because then everything would come crashing down. First thing's first, though; after we get off this plane, I had to send these children back to the bunker.

"There's the Black Forest!" Iggy pointed.

I saw it and wondered how he knew the name of the treacherous wood. But that wasn't the important thing at the moment.

"We need to land this plane," I told him.

Iggy nodded, "I'm on it."

But then something sped the process along for us: a blast of blue energy hit one of the wings, caused it to erupt in flames, and eventually fall off. Not only did it wake everybody up and knock Iggy and me off guard, but now we were heading for the woods at an alarming rate.

"What's going on?" Wendy blurted.

Iggy stuck his index finger into the plastic window and I saw that, on the ground, it was a trio of tall, bearded men in cloaks who'd shot us down. I knew because one of them held a scepter that was still glowing.

"What's happening?!"

"Why are we falling?!"

"We're gonna' crash!"

"I don't wanna die! I'm too young and ripped for that, yo!"

Over their shrieks of terror, I clasped my hand over Iggy's and tugged with all my might on the joystick, trying not to let the aerial vehicle take a nosedive right into a thicket of trees.

"Everybody, hold hands!" Wendy shouted.

That spurred everyone into action and all the children obeyed their sister. Iggy let go of the joystick and grabbed Lemmy's hand, who then grabbed Larry's, who took hold of the back of my jacket. I only understood what they were doing when we suddenly left the plane and appeared in the middle of the forest a fraction of a millisecond later.

"What just happened?" I frowned.

Wendy collapsed to her knees and panted, "We just. T-teleported."

"Are you guys alright?" I asked in concern.

Roy was doubled over, trying to catch his breath. Morton was fanning himself. Lemmy was sitting with his back to a tree with Iggy beside him, huffing as well, while Larry lay spread-eagle on the ground, groaning. They all looked like they'd run a marathon or something.

"Teleporting requires us to pool our energy," Wendy explained.

"And it makes us feel crummy afterwards," Larry moaned.

"Yeah, real crummy." Lemmy added.

"Is it always this bad?" I wondered, "I don't remember seeing you so wiped out when we were in the jungle."

"That's because we had time to get our strength back." Wendy told me.

"Ah." I remarked, "So how long will it take for you to get your strength back?"

"A few hours," Wendy replied.

From the way Larry was beginning to curl in on himself, I'd say he didn't plan on moving anytime today.

This wasn't good.

For one, the boy might get a rash or something, lying on the ground like that. And another thing was, whoever shot us down were obviously part of some kind of border patrol for Bowser. They'd no doubt be coming after us.

_CRASH! _

"That was the plane, I take it," I grimaced. "Come on, you guys, we gotta' get moving!"

"Please, Weegie," Larry begged, "Don't make me get up yet! I'm sooo tired."

Roy walked over to his sibling and hoisted him over his shoulder. Morton also struggled to his feet and picked up Lemmy. Wendy rubbed her hands over her face and joined her brothers. They had only stepped over to me when I heard them; the voices.

"After them!"

"The vessel crashed that way!"

"Don't let them get away!"

The voices were old and raspy; it had to be those magicians I saw. I already didn't like them. However, I knew it couldn't be the trio of old bones that were tearing through the forest dangerously close to where we were. I glanced at Iggy and crouched down.

"Thanks, Luigi." He breathed tiredly as he climbed on my back.

"Just hold on," I told him.

I ran then with the kids in tow. We made sure to go in the opposite direction of the crash. It wasn't hard because it had gotten dark out, and the plane had caught fire so the bright orange light was impossible to miss. Hopefully our pursuers would be thrown off our scent. I knew the children were tired and wouldn't hold out much longer.

* * *

Upon his return to the Badlands, Bowser had spent the entirety of the first day in the infirmary wing. It had taken his healers, elite as they were, hours upon hours to right his body once more. He'd been shot all of seven times. Even he hadn't known that. Those bullet wounds, and the gash from where he'd been cleanly stabbed, had been treated. Now he had naught to do but rest and recuperate. It would behoove him, the medics had said, to stay in bed for the next week _at least_. They'd wanted to say three weeks, but they knew their king was too stubborn for that, so a week it was. His body was talented and could repair the damage itself from that point on, but he would have to do his part and give it time.

Unfortunately for Peach, mandatory bed-rest called for her having to spend more time with him. As if that weren't bad enough, he'd forced his medics to show her how to do certain things, like apply topical salves and dress his wounds for instance, so that they wouldn't have to. She knew he preferred her touch over theirs, but she also got the feeling this was his way of slighting her. He'd done unspeakable cruelties to her kingdom and in turn had been...shot, was the term? He'd brought the harm upon himself, and now he was making her fix him up so that he could go out and do more damage to her home.

That anger that stemmed from this knowledge burned within her. She was starting to resent this creature in front of her. In the bed he sat, with his shirt off and his wounds exposed while she tended to him. She was behind him, on her knees in the bed, completely out of his sight.

_He wouldn't see me if I...took that scalpel there and..._

Peach bit her lip at her line of thinking. She had to tear her eyes away from the metal tray, where the scalpel and other such medical supplies rested, in order to stop herself from entertaining such devious thoughts. She knew no good would come of her actions. The most she could do was cut him deeply, make him bleed. But then she knew he'd turn around and make her pay for her treachery.

_But if I did it the right way..._she continued to muse.

_No, _she resolved, _I'm not like him. No matter what he says. I won't stoop to his level. _

The temptation was high, she'd be willing to admit that much. It would be so easy to just lean forward, wrap her arm around him, push a kiss against his temple and lull him into a sense of intimacy. And when he'd least suspect it, she drift her right hand over to the tray, take the scalpel, kiss him full on and swipe the blade right across his-

"You finished back there, Peaches?"

The princess jumped and made the king chuckle. If only he knew what she'd just mapped out in her head, maybe then he wouldn't be laughing. She was surprised at herself.

_When had I become okay with taking another's life? _she wondered in mild horror. Then ruefully she thought, _perhaps around the time he started hurting the people I care about. _

She shook her head sadly at the state of her life but finished up her work, nonetheless. After she finished, Bowser turned around and out of habit Peach edged backwards. He was brief in the way he tucked his thumb under her chin and pecked a kiss onto her lips.

"I suppose I should thank you," he smirked.

She thought privately, _as if I had a choice. _

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter," Bowser called.

He didn't bother putting his shirt back, even though it was one of his esteemed generals at the door. Bowser nodded at the immortal who bowed at him and sat at the edge of the bed. He reached behind himself with a wince and took her hand, then dragged her over to sit beside him. Peach could only half-believe what was happening: he was holding a meeting right in front of her!

_Surely he isn't that arrogant, _she thought incredulously.

But oh, was she wrong. As she sat there with his arm around her, she found that he was, indeed, so cocky that he'd discuss political matters right in front of his enemy's former fiancee. Peach had to take a moment to fully comprehend the behemoth that was the Dark King's ego before she decided to soak up as much information as she could. She wasn't obvious about it, though. She kept her eyes in her lap and steadily fidgeted with her hands while she listened attentively.

"My liege," the general spoke, "I analyzed the materials as you ordered."

"And?" Bowser prompted.

The general held up a bullet that had been extracted from the king's body.

It was one of many that had been preserved and used for testing. Bowser wanted to find a way to combat this strange, deadly weapon. _So small, _the king grimaced, _and yet so powerful. __Amazing really. If I could just find a way to harness that power for myself..._

"There is a grade of metal alloy strong enough to withstand the force of one of these, er, pellets." The general spoke promisingly.

"So?" Bowser pressed impatiently, "What are you getting at? Don't keep me in suspense!"

The general had heard of Bowser's embarrassing defeat at the hands of his mortal enemy. It was most likely the cause behind his current temper. Knowing this, the immortal general tried to be brief and to the point.

"I can have the smiths mold the alloy into helmets for the troops to wear into battle," He stated.

Bowser narrowed his eyes, "And how long will this take? You know I have legions of warriors."

"That has yet to be determined," The general replied.

"Then do the math," The king hissed, "I want a no less than a two scores of Koopas to lead a raid on that kingdom by the end of the week. I trust you'll have that many helmets ready?"

It was a rhetorical question if the general ever heard one. He knew better than to deny his king, so he simply bowed low at the waist.

"It will be done, Your Majesty."

"Now that's what I want to hear," Bowser murmured approvingly, "Send in my Magicians."

His command was obeyed. As the general left, the wizened trio came striding in, silent save for the whisper of their long cloaks against the floor. As one they bowed, and upon being acknowledged, as one they rose.

"Your Majesty, there is something we must tell you."

"It is of the utmost importance."

"Simply cannot be ignored."

Bowser waved his hand and said, "That'll have to wait 'til some other time."

"But, Your Majesty-"

"Some other time!" The king growled.

That quelled the three bearded men if nothing else would. Their silence assuaged the king, but only enough to where he continued in his order.

"Now." He spoke, "I want you three to do some investigating. This girl, Rose-"

"The kitchen maid?"

"Don't interrupt me!" Bowser gritted out. "Yes, _her_, the little mute girl. Find out whatever you can about her. If you discover something interesting, report it back to me. Understand?"

"Yes, my liege."

"But of course, Your Majesty."

"It would be my _pleasure._"

* * *

Being in his bedroom proved to be most stifling, especially since his body smarted every time he tried to make a move on his lovely wife. So Bowser had taken a stiff upper lip and had roamed the palace, paying no mind to the throbbing in his back. He'd take something for the pain later on. Right now, he was outside, in the royal gardens.

His wife was asleep, or pretending to be. It was getting hard to read her lately. One minute she'd be quiet and closed off, her behavior just crying out 'Stay the fuck away from me'. Other times, like when she tended to his wounded body, she'd still be quiet, but she'd do little things to surprise him. Like, out of nowhere, she'd start rubbing his back for him. He didn't know what to make of her behavior.

As he gazed at the statue he'd commissioned in her visage, he smirked. _You are a mystery, little woman. But I'll find out which way to work you to make you want me more than anything in the world, you'll see. _

There was a pang in his lower body.

In reaction, the king walked over to the side of the hedge and began to relieve himself. He supposed he could have gone back inside, but this was his palace and he'd do whatever he pleased. However, someone soon intruded upon him and, by default, bore witness to the unorthodox affair.

"Uh, your. Your Majesty?" The mortal guard stammered.

Bowser frowned and looked over his shoulder.

"Where did you come from?" he asked.

"The Eastern Border, sire, near the uh, Black Forest." The guard reported nervously.

"What do you want?" The king barked.

"I come bearing a uh, message for you. My Lord." The young man said.

Bowser sighed, "So are you gonna' tell me what that is or are you gonna' stand there and watch me take a piss?"

The guard stated quickly, "An unknown aircraft crashed down in the forest and multiple individuals were seen running in close proximity to it. Some of the other guards and I pursued them, and lost track of them."

"I see," Bowser drawled.

"But we don't believe they've gotten far." The man said rapidly in his defense.

"And why is that?" Bowser asked.

"They were traveling on foot." The guard explained. "Should I send a squad in after them?"

"Yes." Bowser nodded, then grinned, "And I have just the squad in mind."

* * *

**A/N: I know this is short, but don't worry! More to come in the next chapter! Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to review! **

**~DymondGold~**


	35. Chapter 35

**Thanks for faving and reviewing and such! I appreciate my faithful readers in all countries!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators. **

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

* * *

Much to her own consternation, Peach never got that chance to act on her fleeting desires again; the scalpel that had been there and available had been taken back to the infirmary wing. All that was left were the creams and ointments and salves and bandages. Nothing she could work with. The princess lamented not taking action when she had the chance; it may have cost her many a night's rest, but the menace that was the Dark King might have been rid of the world.

_That's if I wouldn't have lost my nerve, if I would've done it right, _she knew.

Since the opportunity had passed, Peach let it go and vowed to be more vigilant in terms of seeking out a new chance to slight the king, should the moment present itself. In the meantime, she knew just what to do with the information she'd garnered; she had to get down to the kitchen and speak with that servant girl. But how? As it was, she hardly left the king's side. He had her cooped up in the bedroom with her as if she were on punishment or something. On the rare occasions that he did leave her alone, he wasn't gone long enough and made sure to leave guards in his place. She had virtually no privacy whatsoever. Right now, for instance, she was sitting at the edge of the bed with her captor reclined on some pillows a few feet away near the headboard.

Bowser sat up, without the aid he needed but would never ask for. The king scowled and struggled to stand. It was the second day of his rehabilitation and already he was hating this. If it were up to him, he'd have already gone back to finish that plumber by now. But even he knew that's be counterproductive.

_I also know there's no way in hell the smiths can produce that many helmets before the week is out, _he mused with a smirk, _but a bit of pressure never killed anybody. Not really. _

Suddenly he felt a sharp ache in his stomach. It was early in the morning and he'd still not had his morning meal. It wasn't that the staff were late, it was just that he was hungry and impatient.

"Where are you going?" Peach asked.

"Kitchens," He replied.

Watching him make his way over to the door was a sight to see. Each step clearly pained him, though he kept a mostly blank, mildly agitated look on his face. Peach was a little astonished that her fiance had done this to another person, but she was mostly proud. Proud to see that he had what it took to combat even his worst of foes. That pride bolstered her to make Mario proud of her, too. She didn't want to sit here idly, waiting for fate to do the work for her. She'd make a way for herself. Boldly, she stood and went over to him. She slipped her hand in the crook of his arm and stepped in front of him.

"Wait," she told him, "Let me!" She blurted.

He stopped, then looked down at her warily, "Let you what?"

_Believable, _Peach chanted to herself, _make it believable; he's not going to trust that I want to do him any favors out of the blue, so I need a valid excuse. _

One soon came to her.

"Your uh, morning meal," She told him, "It's just that, I've been in this room so long and I uh, wouldn't mind getting the food for you because, um, I need to fetch my own as well."

Bowser cocked a brow and drawled in bemusement, "I don't know, Peaches. I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to drop something in my drink after what I did to your pitiful kingdom."

Peach said, "I won't poison you, Koopa."

"What'd I say about calling me that?" He grinned, "If you really want to get out of here, go ahead. I'll have the guards escort you."

_No! _Peach thought frantically. She pushed her hands flat against his chest when he tried to walk out the door and fetch the guards. Again, he stopped and regarded her amusedly.

"What is it?" He smirked down at her.

She said, "Please don't send the guards."

"Why not?" He asked her with some more of that wariness.

"Because," She stammered, "they um, make me so nervous. Yes. They're quite formidable."

_I've got to work on this; I can't turn into a stuttering mess every time he looks at me all under-eyed. _

Bowser, though, believed her claims and remarked, "They're no more formidable than my heir."

He took her hands off his chest and used them to cup either side of his face. He then looked down at her solemnly.

"Since you're going right to the kitchens," Bowser spoke, "I suppose I can humor you. But the only one you need fear, my Queen, is _me_."

* * *

The kitchen got its own brand of surprise when the newly-crowned Queen of the Koopas herself decided to drop by. She'd caused the entire staff to take an enormous gasp of surprise; it wasn't often a royal stepped through and when they did, bad things happened; the last raid was proof of that. So as Daisy was finishing up some dishes, having already made the steak, she noticed the sudden atmosphere of discontent. Someone else had been delegated to bring the king his meals, so that begged the following question:

Why was it still there?

"Rose, dear, come here." Mistress called, then added, "And bring the king's morning meal."

_Oh no, _Daisy thought in distress, _don't tell me I have to go near him again__. _

She carried the plate in one hand and the goblet of wine in the other. At the double doors was Peach, a long metal tray in front of her on the counter. There was her oatmeal, the raisins fashioned into a toadstool as usual, so Daisy supposed she should put the steak and wine on that tray as well. After she did so, she glanced up at Peach.

"I bring you terrible news," The princess whispered urgently, "I hate to speak of it here, but this is the only time I've been out without my guards."

Daisy nodded quickly and peeked her head over her shoulders. For once, the magicians weren't around. Daisy had a feeling that wouldn't last long so she silently implored the princess to continue.

In a hushed voice, Peach said, "Koopa's sending two scores of troops to the Mushroom Kingdom without him. He's having his blacksmiths produce these special helmets for them to wear; I don't understand why this is important, but I felt I should add that."

Daisy frowned, _helmets? For what? Why would those nearly-indestructible beasts need helmets? _

Peach also said, "And there's something else I think you should know; the king, he's sent his magicians away to Sarasaland to investigate your background."

_So that's why I haven't seen them around, _Daisy mused.

"They're due back sometime today, in which case they'll continue to pry for information about you. Be careful, alright? I'd hate to see something happen to you," The princess stated.

_Yeah, me too, _Daisy thought dismally. _  
_

That had been two days ago. She no longer got word from Peach, although she saw her at every meal since then. Because the magicians weren't even being subtle about their overbearance, Daisy could do no more than use her eyes and facial expressions to vaguely ask of the princess if things had change. In response to these tacit inquiries, Peach would most often shake her head and give her this sad expression.

Thankfully, it was on this night two days later that Ludwig had shown up. She was in the habit of spending a bit of time alone in the kitchen after everyone had gone to bed, making sure to take extra long in sweeping the floor or doing the dishes. It was all just in case Ludwig decided to pop in. And tonight, he did.

"You're not dead yet."

That was his oh-so-affectionate greeting. Daisy had gotten used to his impromptu visits, so with her back to him at the sink, she merely rolled her eyes.

"Hello to you, too." She muttered, "Bowser's sending two scores of Koopas out to the Mushroom Kingdom in a few days."

"Very good," The young man praised, "Straight to the point; you're learning at last."

Daisy turned around and crossed her arms. "Gee, thanks. I have a question, though."

"When do you not?"

"Peach told me Bowser's equipping his Koopas with these special helmets; why do you think that is?"

"Well considering what happened at that last confrontation, I'm not surprised." Ludwig drawled.

Daisy asked, "What do you mean? What happened?"

"You haven't heard?" He sounded genuinely surprised.

She explained, "News doesn't circulate as fast now that the Magicians have cracked down on their surveillance."

He shrugged and told her, "Well, the plumber got smart and brought over some weapons from his world, some like these."

Ludwig took her hand, closed his fist over it, and then dropped some black, conjured metal object into her waiting palm. She blinked down at the strange item and tried to find a way to properly hold it. It felt foreign and heavy in her unskilled hands.

"What is this?" She asked.

Ludwig snapped and made the thing vanish in a puff of black and blue shimmering light. Daisy wiped her now-empty hands on her apron.

"That," he stated, "is called a gun. It's a small weapon that can do a ton of damage, especially at close range. Just look at what it did to the bastard."

"I haven't seen," She admitted.

He said, "Anyway, one shot from one of these in the right place will kill a Koopa. Mario knows this, and so does the bastard."

"That's why he's made them helmets," Daisy breathed in realization, then asked, "Do you think they'll work against these...guns?"

Ludwig stared at her. "Maybe. Maybe not. But why take the risk?"

"Huh?" The girl frowned.

"How are you, then?" Ludwig inquired, abruptly changing the subject.

Daisy tilted her head but answered, "I'm alright. For right now. But Bowser is having his magicians investigate me."

"I see." He noted, "Hold out for as long as you can."

"You say that as if they'll catch me."

"They might."

"What?"

"In the event that they do-"

"Hold on a minute-"

"Keep your mouth shut, no matter what."

"But Ludwig, can't we just-"

"And if they do make you talk-"

"Can't we just get Peach and-"

"Make sure you stick to the story we discussed."

"Ludwig, wait! You think I'm gonna' get caught?" Daisy panicked, "In that case, Luigi was right. We really need to get out of here and come up with a new plan."

"That's simply not possible," The young man told her callously.

Daisy glared at him, "Not possible? Or not convenient for _you_?"

"I'm thinking in the best interest of this operation," He assured her.

"Forget the mission," She hissed, "Do you know what'll happen to me if I get found out?"

"At the most, you'll be arrested."

"And would you let that happen?" She snapped.

He said, "It's not a matter of me letting that happen, it's a matter of how well you handle your own situation. Be careful and you won't get caught."

He then vanished.

Daisy never wanted to slap someone so hard in all her life, and that was saying something for her, who ran a shop back in the Mushroom Kingdom and often had to deal with less-than-pleasant customers. Not to mention her cousins. Again she thought of them, and if they were still safe. If she got caught, she'd not ever see them again, that was a guarantee.

_I can't believe Ludwig, _she frowned, _it's like he's been blinded by seeing this mission through, no matter the cost. _

She blinked.

_Not that that's a bad thing, but still. He should take into account the purpose of an operation; how successful are you if your teammate perishes in the process? But...I guess if he gets Peach out of here, that still counts as a successful mission. Why hadn't this occurred to me sooner? _

She knew what she was getting herself into when she agreed to the mission. She knew there was a chance she might not make it out of the palace. But now that the danger was upon her, she was losing her nerve.

* * *

As I predicted, the kids ended up running with me a few minutes before they all started to crash. It was okay, though, because I found an overturned tree trunk that covered a shallow grassy depression, and we hid in there the first night. Then, the next day Iggy told me his GPS ran on batteries and those batteries had died. Wendy suggested we use the batteries from the radio, but no, we couldn't do that; we'd lost the radio back when the plane caught fire and exploded. Even so, we couldn't go back there. That's where Bowser's guards were staked out. So for the remainder of that day and the next one as well, we'd been wandering through the enormous Black Forest.

I was ninety-nine percent sure we were lost as all hell.

Right now we were just sitting here, under the high noon sun that was obstructed by the thick treetops. None of us knew what to do from here on out. We were running low on food and water and morale. That's what traveling aimlessly through the woods with no confidence of where we were going did to us all. For all we knew, we could be going in giant circles or in the complete opposite direction to the palace. It was a disheartening reality, this turn of events.

"I'm hungry." Lemmy spoke quietly.

He was sitting on the ground like all the rest of us, tucked into my side with his stringy, multi-colored hair next to my ribs. The boy's green eyes tore at me, and though I hated to say it, I told him the truth.

"We ran out of food this morning."

"Oh." He murmured, "Okay then."

"So what do we do now?" Larry asked.

"I don't know about me," I answered, "But you guys are going home."

"Huh?" Wendy asked, dropping her knees from her chest.

"That's right," I said, "As soon as you guys build your strength up, you're teleporting back to the bunker."

"But Weegie," Larry argued, "how are we gonna' build up our strength without food?"

"And we've been walking for hours!"

"And I'm hot!"

"And I gotta' go pee!"

"Then go ahead, Bigmouth!"

"Yeah, nobody's stoppin' ya, yo."

"Ew, you guys are so gross!"

"You do the same thing, Miss Priss!"

"Yeah, but I don't go announcing it to the world!"

Just when I was about to break things up for the sake of my growing headache, Iggy called out to us.

"Hey, you guys!" He hissed in a whisper, "Come check this out! But you gotta' be quiet."

"Why?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You're not the boss of me!"

I sighed, "Be quiet, everybody. He wouldn't be saying it for no reason."

That silenced the bunch. I knew it was because of their hunger and their discomfort in the heat and their restlessness, that was why they were arguing at every turn.

With the children behind me and Lemmy's hand in mine, I strode over to where Iggy was. He must have wandered off alone. He tended to do that when his siblings started arguing. A few feet away, he was on his knees, peering through a thick bush of vegetation. The rest of us joined him in a similar stance.

"What is it?"

"I can't see?"

"What are we 'sposed to be looking at?"

"Hey, be quiet."

"You be quiet."

"Enough of that," I whispered, "If you can't keep silent, go back to where our stuff is."

"I see it!" Lemmy cried, then clapped a hand over his mouth.

The rest of us saw it, too. _It_ was about a dozen or more Koopas. They were gathered in the clearing about ten or fifteen feet away and by some great miracle, they obviously hadn't heard or bothered themselves about the kids' noise. They all stood in front of a huddled mass of white. I squinted my eyes and tried to get a better look.

Wendy suddenly pulled back with a soft gasp. Her clear eyes widened and her pale pink lips parted in surprise.

"Ludwig."

And that was all it took to stir her brothers into a panic. They scrambled away from the bush and hurried back to where we'd camped out. Their haste was in vain, for their eldest brother was already there. Their packs, however, were gone.

"What happened to all our stuff?" Larry wondered.

"Back at the bunker, where you all should be," Ludwig replied curtly.

Now that the kids knew they were caught, they all seemed subdued. Morton was speechless for once, tough-guy Roy had his head down, Larry quieted and stood next to an even quieter Iggy while Lemmy hid behind my leg. I stared at the calm young man silently.

He was mad, I knew that much, but he hid it so well behind those cold, passive green eyes and those crossed arms. He was alone, and that worried me.

"Where's Daisy?" I asked.

He glared at me and asked, "Is that all you care about?"

"What are you talking about?" I frowned.

Ludwig asked harshly, "What's the matter? Did you miss you girlfriend so much you had to exploit my brothers and sister?"

"No?" I replied uncertainly.

_What was he talking about? Exploit? These brothers and sisters of his had basically kidnapped me in my sleep; how was that my fault? _

"This," Ludwig continued brusquely, gesturing with his arms at the expanse of wood.

"This is why I didn't want anyone, especially _you_, knowing about their powers."

"You think I took advantage of them?" I dead-panned.

"Clearly," Ludwig remarked impatiently.

It was Wendy who spoke next, saying "Well you're wrong."

"What?" Her brother rounded on her.

She admitted, "We tricked Luigi into leaving the bunker."

"Really?" Ludwig asked flatly, "And I'm supposed to believe a bunch of kids tricked a grown man?"

"We teleported him," Larry stated.

"To the Jungle," Iggy added.

Ludwig stared at me real hard. He looked over his siblings critically and then back to me.

"I see." Was all he said.

Wendy felt the need to also say, "Don't be mad at him, Ludwig. It was my idea. Luigi didn't want us to leave in the first place and after we got here, he kept trying to send us back. "

"We all wanted to help, though." Lemmy spoke. "We wanted to save Weegie's friend."

"So we teleported him with us to the Jungle with my inventions," Iggy then stated, "And we headed for the Badlands."

"But then we got shot down, yo."

"Right out of the sky! A horrible crash it was! The fire burned up the plane wing and then we had to teleport away at the last second!"

"And then we had to run away from the people who was chasing us!"

"Then the Directions-Giver ran out of batteries and-"

Ludwig raised a hand and put an end to his siblings' outbursts. He beckoned them near and gazed at them all, pacing back and forth. I knew that they were in trouble and I sort of felt bad for them. At least they had the decency to own up to what they'd done.

_Maybe they're more mature than I thought. _

"You're lucky." Ludwig stated, stopping in his pacing. "All of you are. Lucky that I'm not the type of older brother who beats the shit out of his siblings for doing something so damn stupid."

"But-"

"Quiet!" He demanded. "This was a foolish idea, and all of you are to blame. But like I said, you're all so, _so _very lucky; I'm so caught up in this mission I don't have time to deal with you right now."

"So what are you gonna' do, then?" Wendy was brave enough to ask.

Ludwig leveled her with a look that had her glancing away. For all her rebelliousness and spunk, she was still humbled before her older brother.

"This is what I'm gonna' do," He spoke, "I'm sending you back home and this time..."

He settled a hard, meaningful glance over all his familial charges before finishing.

"This time you better stay there. Understand?"

It wasn't a real question but the children replied anyway with a chorus of 'yes's and 'whatever's. Lemmy, however, had one more thing to ask.

"But Lu," He chimed, "What about those scary people over there?"

"What?" The young man asked shortly.

Larry answered helpfully, "He's talking about the Koopas over there."

"Ah." Ludwig nodded, "Bowser Junior and his squad."

"Junior?" I parroted.

Ludwig gazed at me and said, "The bastard gave his son a starting army. He must have sent the boy and his little squad out here to capture you all."

"Then we gotta' attack them first, yo!" Roy declared, pumping his fist in the air.

"Yeah!" Morton agreed.

"But how?"

Iggy suggested, "We could set one of my bombs off in their camp."

"No," Wendy said, but to my surprise she added, "That would cause too much attention. We need to do something that won't attract more guards."

"We could fight them off." Larry put in.

Iggy said, "If they start losing, they might call in for back-up."

I cut in with, "They don't even know we're here, do we really need to do anything?"

Resounding shouts in the affirmative ensued, much to my dismay.

"No." Ludwig interjected tersely, "You've all done enough, don't you think?"

No.

No, they did not think so, and they let him know. It would seem they were quickly getting over their fear of him in light of this new, exciting situation. I sighed.

"Ludwig is right," I told them, "You all have helped a lot, so thank you. But it's time you listen to your brother and get out of here."

More protests followed.

"Hello."

"Hi."

All our heads swiveled over to where Lemmy had spoken to someone around his age. Both boys had smiled upon greeting each other and now the younger of the two caught sight of me.

"Lu!" Junior exclaimed, a wide grin growing on his face.

The boy had not changed since I'd last seen him, in his navy silk pants, plain white t-shirt, and sleeveless navy vest. He lost the crown out of his top-knot as he fled towards me. The boy was real excited to see me again; he jumped from the ground right in my arms and nearly knocked me off-balance.

"Lu, how come you are here with all these people?" The boy asked me with his arms round my neck.

"Weegie, you know him?" Lemmy asked with...was that jealousy in his tone?

Wendy tilted her head and said, "He's so small."

"This little runt is the big bad king's son?" Roy chuckled.

Junior acted around them the same way he acted when he first met Daisy; shy. He blinked and shut his mouth in the face of all these strangers.

"Where's his squad?" Ludwig asked.

I had to ask the boy the same question because right now he'd only speak to me. He extended his finger to where we'd been spying on the Koopas earlier.

"I left them over there!" He told me.

Ludwig stood staring at the child for several seconds that soon turned into many minutes. Junior kept his arms tight around me and stared right back. I guess with someone like Bowser as his dad, he was used to being scrutinized.

Finally Ludwig said, "This is what we're going to do."

He conjured a quill and parchment from thin air and scribbled something down onto it, then handed it to me.

"First off, I want you to take you take this note and take that boy back to his squad. Convince him to give this to the creatures and have him send them on their way, straight to the king."

I took the paper and glanced over it; it was a ransom note. In befuddlement I stared back up at Ludwig.

"Just trust me on this," He said, "When they've gone, bring the kid back here. He's going back to the bunker with these little monsters."

Ludwig turned to said little monsters and said, "You wanna help? Here's how. Stay at the bunker and make sure the kid doesn't leave. Can I count on you all not to screw that up?"

The kids nodded.

This seemed like a decent plan of action. Take Junior for ransom and hide him away where no one could find him? The only thing that worried me was Bowser. Junior was his only son and heir, his pride and joy, his protege and the future ruler of the Badlands; he would not be taking the news of his disappearance well. But for now it was a plan that would distract the king from Peach and Daisy, who were on the inside. As long as the boy would be safe and away from harm, I saw no problem going through with it.

I pocketed the note and shifted Junior to my other hip before striding towards where his team was said to be. There they were, I saw as I swept the brush of vegetation aside and stepped into the clearing. They seemed conflicted; here I was, this stranger in a land where strangers=enemies, and I could tell they wanted to have at me as was their nature. But because the prince was in my arms, they all just stood there.

"Okay," I told Junior, swallowing my apprehension in the sight of these fearsome creatures.

"What's happening?" He asked me curiously.

I lowered him until his small, bare feet hit the grass, then I crouched down to his height.

"Now listen, Junior," I spoke gently while glancing over at the Koopas. "I need you to give this to your uh, squad and send them back to their father."

"What is this?" Junior asked when he had the paper in his hands.

I told him, "It's a letter."

"For my Daddy?" He guessed.

"Exactly," I told him. "It's a letter for your daddy and I need you to make sure they give it to him."

"Alright!" He chirped, then moved away.

I grabbed at him and added, "But you can't go with them."

He was confused. "How come?"

"Because you uh," I fumbled, "You're going on a trip."

"A trip?" He repeated, "To where?"

"To a fun place." I said.

"Is it far away?" He asked.

"Not too far," I answered, though I really had no clue.

"Are you coming with me?" He asked eagerly.

I reluctantly admitted, "No. I'm sorry."

His face fell into the most devastated expression for a five-year old. He was awfully melodramatic.

"But don't worry," I said, "You'll have plenty of boys your age to play with."

"Those boys over there?" He spoke hesitantly, "I don't think I like them."

"You will." I promised. "Now, go ahead and give your squad the letter."

"Alright." He agreed.

The boy walked over to his squad and they all stood at attention. He waved his arms in a downward motion and they all kneeled so that they were closer to his height. Then he began to speak.

"Take this letter to my daddy," He ordered in his babyish voice, full of solemnity.

"Don't tell him this," He stated, "But I have to go on a trip. I will come back and see him, so tell him don't miss me too bad. Make sure you go straight to Daddy as fast as you can, kay? I mean, Unner'stand?"

After some reservations, the Koopas did the unthinkable and took the letter, then marched off in rows of three by five. It was almost laughable, really. The only thing keeping the sight of a little child having such power over warriors several times his size was the sobering fact that this was a parallel of the Dark King's sort of power, an example of the unwavering loyalty his troops had towards him.

Junior came back to me and took my hand. I led him back to where Ludwig was waiting and gave the boy a nudge in the kids' direction.

"Go on," I told him.

He glanced up nervously at me and I stroked his hair back. Lemmy, who'd caught on to the boy's tentativeness, came over and offered his hand. Without a word, Junior took it and the two of them stepped behind Ludwig.

The enforcer asked me, "Did he do it?"

"Yeah."

"Excellent." He remarked. "Come on."

I shook my head, "No."

"What?"

"I'm not going back." I told him, "I can't."

_Daisy needs me, I can just feel it. And those nightmares I've been having are like an omen; I just know she's in some kind of trouble. _

"It's okay, Ludwig." Wendy spoke up, "Me and Roy, we'll keep everybody in line."

Ludwig considered her words, as did I. I guess this trip had put things in perspective for them. They had a taste, a small lick from the spoon that stirred the boiling cauldron full or stress and danger and turmoil that was this war and I suppose it burned their mouths. All for the better. Ludwig seemed to think so, too, because he nodded.

"Fine. See that you do." He told her, then he said to me, "Stay here. I'll be back."

"What are we gonna' do about Daisy?" I asked, "And Peach?"

"Don't have a clue," He shrugged honestly, "But from now on, you'll have to stick with me."

* * *

**A/N: And now Ludwig has saddled himself with Luigi and B-Jun is with the kids. What else is in store for this story? Who knows? Well, I know but leave your guesses anyway! **

**Also, tell me what you think so far and if you've found anything wrong or if you liked anything in particular. I'll have another update tomorrow but tomorrow I do have to start going to school again so forgive me in advance if updates aren't daily throughout the week. **

**There are big things coming; you'll soon see why this story is rated 'M', I'll say that much. As always, thanks for reading and I'll see you next chapter! **

**~DymondGold~**


	36. Chapter 36

**It's the weekend and I'm back :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

* * *

Now that I was with him 24/7, I started to covet the times where I didn't have to deal with the conceited young enforcer. Between his condescending remarks and his general caustic personality, I was already tired of him.

And this was day one.

Now he and I were in his palace, er, Daisy's palace. From the way he walked the halls you'd think he owned the place. But I suppose that was the point, he did have to present that image around here.

When he and I got to the unction in the hall, one of the women on Chai Kingdom's advisory council came hurrying over to us. She didn't spare me a glance, I was just Ludwig's ward after all; as much as I protested that cover, he insisted that people would buy it. He wasn't wrong, which worried me more than anything, seeing as how I was older and taller by just a bit.

I stepped to the side while this woman addressed the blue-haired royal. He crossed his arms and regarded her as if he just didn't have the time for whatever she had to say. I guess that's the way he acted around everyone.

"Your Majesty, sir," She began, "King Koopa is here in the dining hall. He wants to speak with you, sir. Now."

"Now?" Ludwig frowned. "What the hell does he want?"

The narrowing of his sharp green eyes was the closest expression of surprise that would ever grace his pale face.

The woman nodded, "Perhaps he'd like to-"

"Penelope."

"...Sir?" The advisor spoke in response.

"That was a rhetorical question."

This Penelope person, the latest victim of Ludwig's curt behavior, had the good sense to dismiss herself as she flushed embarrassedly and made off down another corridor, in the opposite direction. I turned to the new ruler and watched him pace. He tapped his finger on his folded arm and scowled. There were things I'd like to ask but I was tired of getting snapped at, so I just stared at the distressed young man.

"He must be serious," Ludwig began, "If he's hauled ass all the way to Chai. You'll have to excuse me."

"No way," I said, "I'm going with you."

"I think not; if he sees you we're both in trouble."

"So I'll stay out of sight."

"Think you can do that?"

"You're insinuating I can't?"

"I'm asking a question." He claimed, "Nothing more."

I sighed and said, "Just go. I'll be at the door."

Ludwig needed no further prompting. He strode ahead of me into the dining room and left the ornate door open behind him. I slid it almost all the way closed, with just a slim crack between the hinge and the wall. Through that window I peeked and had to smile. It was at the head of the table that the Dark King had chosen to sit and so, not to be shown up in his 'own' palace, Ludwig sat not to the left or right, but at the opposite end of the table. There were six empty seats on both sides that separated the two dominant males. At this gesture, Bowser only smirked.

"Ludwig," He stated in greeting.

If I didn't know him as well as I did, I might have mistaken that curt nod as platonic or, at most, even mildly friendly. But I did know Ludwig and I had picked up on his strong feelings of hatred and bitterness for the Dark King, who he never once called by name, so I did notice that level of restraint he was demonstrating right then. The young man sat stiff with a hidden sort of anger brimming behind that cool, passive facade.

"Did you want something?" The former enforcer asked.

Bowser's jaw twitched but he otherwise didn't acknowledge Ludwig's tone, one which bordered on insolence.

The king said, "A few days ago I received a disturbing report; a company of soldiers I sent to destroy the plumber's kingdom were slain."

"By Mario?" Ludwig asked with intrigue.

"As if," Bowser scoffed, "None of the Koopas could tell me who'd done them in since they were busy lying dead."

"Interesting." Ludwig murmured.

"What's really interesting," The king said, "Is that my magicians can't figure out what kind of poison killed all my men."

"Really?" Ludwig tilted his head, "I'd say it must be a mighty complex solution, then."

_You'd know, you're the one who made it, _I thought to myself. Sometimes he could be so full of himself.

Bowser shrugged and said, "Perhaps so."

"So who do you think is responsible for this attack?" The younger male asked, "Who, among your _many _enemies, would be so bold?"

"If I knew that, they'd be dead by now," Bowser growled.

Ludwig murmured, "I'm sure."

"What's that?"

"Nothing."

Again, the young man clearly felt he was superior to everyone around him; the Dark King was no exception.

Bowser said, "I'll get to the bottom of whoever did this soon enough."

He didn't hear Ludwig's soft snort, much to my amazement.

He continued with, "But in lieu of this unforeseen attack, I think it's high time we join forces."

"My soldiers are mere men, mortals." Ludwig argued in that half-hearted way of his, "Most of them not yet finished with their training."

"That's quite a thing to hear, considering your great will." Bowser stated, "I would have thought you had them up to par by now."

Something in Ludwig's countenance noticeably smarted at those words. He smoothed that hardness from his emerald eyes, though.

"No matter," Bowser said abruptly, "You and I will lead our troops to that wretched kingdom and rule out any chance of being gainsaid."

The finality in his voice left no room for negotiation, I realized. He was adamant about this. Ludwig would either have to concede with his wishes or make a damn good excuse as to why this wouldn't be possible. The young royal I've come to know wasn't in the habit of doing things the hard or complicated way, so it was no surprise to me when he merely shrugged and replied in the affirmative.

"If you insist," Was his lackadaisical response.

"And I do." Bowser spoke, "As soon as I get another platoon of men together by the end of this week, I'll couple my forces with yours and we'll sack the Mushroom Kingdom."

Anytime he said 'Mushroom Kingdom' and not any other derisive nickname for the place, I'd be willing to bet he was serious. This was not good at all. By the way Ludwig still sat there unfazed, I presumed he was already a step ahead, as per usual. That did calm me.

_He's a brilliant tactician, I'll give him that. _

* * *

"At this rate you'll get yourself killed before you even set foot on the battlefield."

This and other such pleasant words of encouragement were what I'd been hearing all day, as of early this morning, and here it was nearly evening. I knew I wasn't the most professional of fighters and with a sword I was no master, but I didn't think I was _that _bad. Apparently I was, according to Ludwig. He'd started training me himself the very next day after the Dark King's visit since I insisted on joining him when he left for the Mushroom Kingdom at the end of the week.

"If that's your best," the royal sniffed, "then you and your girlfriend and the princess are all doomed."

"Why are you so negative?" I finally snapped.

In the field behind the palace I dropped my arms by my side and wiped one of them over my sweaty forehead on the way down. I was sick and tired of hearing him insult me. If he thought it was helping or giving me motivation, he was wrong. It was just making me want to resort to the 'teachings' I learned from the streets of Brooklyn back in my last year of high school and beat the living hell out of him.

_Not to mention it's hot out here, _I thought.

The ninety-something degree weather had not lessened by much even though the sun was going down. That was also contributing to my poor mood.

"I'm not being negative," Ludwig answered me, crossing his arms, "I'm being real."

"Real negative," I countered.

"Real_istic_." He corrected, "False hope and sugar-coated positivity has never been my thing, and there's no room for any of that. We have five days to get you in fighting form, unless you _want _to go out there unprepared and get slaughtered."

I sighed. "Whatever."

To me, there were ways where Ludwig could teach me without being such a jerk, but this was just the way he was, I had to accept that if I wanted to be progressive in this operation. That's what mattered, seeing the mission through. I brought my fists up and stood with my weight balanced on both feet.

"Good form," Ludwig praised.

I narrowed my eyes. "But?"

"But form is not your problem; you lack speed and your depth perception is off, that's why your strikes have so little force behind them."

And there it was. He just couldn't give me a single good word without backing it up with more criticism. Well, it's a good thing I'm not aiming to please him, God knows that'll never happen.

"So what should I do?" I asked wearily.

"Get better."

"Of course," I muttered.

Ludwig came at me swiftly and I did what I'd been doing all day; dodging and evading. I tried to get on the offense by stepping around him and going for his-

"Too slow," He chided as he grabbed my arm at the elbow and yanked me towards him.

He twisted my arm behind me and knocked the front of his boot into the back of my leg. In an instant he had me pinned with his weight pressed into the middle of my spine. He used his forearm to

"How are you gonna' protect that girl from down here on your knees?"

That was it. I wrestled him until I was back on my feet and went at him. I didn't bother looking for an opening, I just came at him steadily with my hands balled into fists. He was quicker than me, though, blocking every single one of my hits and wearing a smirk the entire time. Too soon the tables were turned again and it was him who was driving me backwards. Just when he thought he had me, I deliberately started taking his hits and when he realized what I was doing, it was too late.

I grabbed his arm like he'd done to me and yanked hard. So hard I pulled his arm out the socket. I didn't mean to go that far, but I was real mad, I had to admit.

"Sorry," I told him.

He didn't even flinch as he took his limb and shoved it back in place with a practiced ease that made me envy him that much more. Really, he was remarkable. If only his attitude were just as awe-inspiring.

_Well it is, just not in the good kind of way _

"Don't be sorry," He told me. "That was good, you stopped holding back. You're learning after all."

"Thanks?"

"You still have a long way to go." He said. "Tomorrow I have things to do, so I'll have one of my generals go over sword work with you until I'm available. Time is of the utmost importance so treat every training session-"

"-Ludwig, people I care about are in constant danger every day; you don't have to keep reminding me to take things seriously."

He stared at me and said, "You take the wrong things _too _seriously. When it comes down to it, it's not about the 'people you care about'. It's about the outcome of this war."

Inside I cringed at that. I didn't like to hear him talk like this because it made it seem like he didn't care about individual losses. He may be willing to do whatever it takes to ensure a certain means to an end, but I had to be honest; my main priority was and always would be Daisy.

* * *

Daisy had never feared for her life so much as she did this night.

All day she'd been on edge, having not seen the three magicians at all. That was disconcerting because of how hard they'd been badgering her. Plus, Peach had told her earlier that they had orders to investigate her. All of this, coupled with their sudden backing off, let her know that something was up and it wasn't good.

How right she'd been.

It was late. She was asleep with red eyes, having felt the absence of her friend Pepita particularly strongly tonight. She and the other girls had been startled beyond belief when the double doors suddenly banged open and there stood those evil, malignant old men, their hands outstretched and their eyes blazing. She had no doubt in her mind; she'd been found out.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mistress had demanded.

They offered her and all others no explanation as they stormed into the room and grabbed Daisy from her cot. They'd dragged her nearly out the doors when she felt someone tug on her other arm, the one that wasn't stuck in a vice grip; it was Mistress.

The woman had tears in those slant brown eyes but her back was erect and her voice was strong when she addressed the three taller males.

"No!" She had declared in a steely tone. "You aren't taking her, not this one."

The wicked men had shared a glance then, then one of them tapped their fingers to the short woman's forehead: her eyes rolled back and she fell limp to the floor. Daisy wanted to cry out for the injustice against the woman who'd taken to her so well but she was mute and could not. The girls who came towards their mistress hadn't come so soon as to prevent the woman's head from thudding against the cold ground. Daisy hoped hard that no trauma or serious injury would come to her but honestly, she had herself to worry about.

They had taken her without a word down to the dungeons where she was now. Into a cell she'd been thrown with one magician as her guard. The other two had went to fetch the king.

She was scared out of her mind.

In that dark cell there was a metal bench of a bed, hanging by two chains on either side onto the wall. She was too afraid to sit down, too afraid to do anything but bite down on her lip and hold her arms tightly around herself. She was cold, too, that was part of the reason she was shivering in her plain white nightgown. She didn't know why it was so freezing cold down here or why the gown only reached the middle of her thighs and the caps of her sleeves.

_Less fabric must mean less money, and who wants to spend money on servants? _she mused. Musing almost kept her heart pumping at a reasonable pace.

But then the door at the top of the stairs swung open and the organ got all jacked up again. Coming down the flight of sooty steps was the king himself, with the two magicians who'd summoned him. He was hurrying to the cell, much to Daisy's dismay.

Out of some last ditch effort to protect herself from the coming menace, she tried to back away from the bars of the cell and tuck herself in the corner of the small space.

"It is a matter most urgent, my king."

"It demands your attention, even at this late hour."

Daisy heard those voices but tried to block them out.

Bowser was shirtless and wet when he stepped inside the open cell. One of the magicians came and shoved her to the forefront of the room so that she was directly in front of the king. She was then forced to her knees. It was of her own volition, however, that she kept her head bowed.

_Perhaps he won't recognize me this way, _she hoped piteously.

And he didn't.

"A fucking maid?" He barked, "You called me down here for a _maid_? What, did she steal a breadstick? Fail to meet her doorknob-polishing quota?"

"You don't understand," One of the magicians explained.

"Then enlighten me, damn it. I don't have all night."

The old man who was holding her down said, "This is the girl you ordered us to investigate, Your Majesty."

"We've discovered that she's not who she says she is."

"How so?" Bowser asked.

"For one, she isn't mute."

A hand weighed down on the crown of her head and she could see a faint blue light stem from it; he'd removed the charm. She could just feel it. Her body had reacted to that magic, her throat no longer felt so tight and irritatingly not-normal anymore.

Her vision blurred and those bare feet she was staring at began to swell and bloat behind the veil of her blooming tears.

"I see." The king stated. "What else have you found?"

"She's donning a henge."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"She's wearing a disguise." one magician supplied.

"A magical disguise." another added.

His Majesty said, "Show me."

Those tears jumped down her cheeks when Daisy was yanked to her feet. She refused to let her eyes linger but she did catch a glimpse of the king. He was dripping wet and highly agitated.

That was probably due to the fact that he'd pulled an especially long day and was in the shower winding down when his court interrupted him.

The wicked magician again touched his gnarled hand to the top of her head and this time her whole being reacted. She felt her scalp tingle as blonde locks became darker, fuller, longer and tickled her cheeks on their way down her shoulders. Her chest expanded to its usual size, a problem for the gown that was made for one who wasn't quite as endowed, and that part of her body was tender and sore. Her skin lost its pallid paleness and darkened to a tan glowing sort of hue, and her eyes stung for a second as they no doubt changed colors. Daisy shuddered as the henge wore off and left her feeling more exposed than a newly shorn sheep.

_Sheep. Yeah. That's what I feel like, and the Dark King is a nasty fox if I ever saw one, _she thought.

She blinked and couldn't stop biting down on the edge of her bottom lip. Her head was down but not for long because Bowser stepped over to her, gripped her chin delicately between his thumb and index finger. He fixed his eyes on hers for a moment and she watched him appraise her.

"We don't yet know if she's a spy, Highness."

"But she is certainly hiding a lot."

Bowser rubbed his thumb over her cheek and murmured, "I see."

The king dropped his hands and circled her slowly. Daisy stood stock-still while he did, her blood rushing in her ears and starting to ooze from that puncture she'd driven into the flesh of her lip with the incessant pressure she'd put on it. He got back around to the front of her and pulled a clump of her hair through his fingers. With his eyes on the brunette follicles, he addressed his court.

"Take good care of her until I return." He told them, "Three meals a day no interrogations. Your investigation ends now."

"Of course, Majesty."

"And one more thing," He stated, "If I come back and there is so much as a single scratch or bruise is on her person..."

He let her hair go and faced the three magicians solemnly.

"It'll be the end of you."

* * *

**A/N: This is ridiculously short but I have TMJ and it is a lot more cumbersome than you'd think, it really does affect how much I can write. For you guys, I still try so yes, since it's the weekend, there will be daily chapters. **

**As you can see, things have heated up, or in other words: shit just got real (lol I know, the language) **

**Yes, Daisy has really been found out. This is not a dream or anything, it really happened. Sorry Daisy. It was only a matter of time. But she is an incredibly strong girl and a fighter. **

**Leave your reviews, I love them, and stay tuned to see what happens next! As always, thanks for reading. Until next time!**

**~DymondGold~**


	37. Chapter 37

**Hey, I'm back!**

**For those of you who haven't seen the trailer, type 'super mario brothers fanfiction' into youtube and click on the one with the train, by me (maria thom) **

**If you still can't find it, PM me and I'll send you a link personally :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

* * *

Training was going exceptionally well today. With only one day to go, I was getting fairly confident in my abilities. Most of the time, like right now, I was being instructed by some of Chai's generals, or the ones that could be spared, that is. They were friendly and much easier to work with than the young man my age. Their patience and lack of condescension worked wonders on not only my nerves but on my morale, as well. As much as I hated to say it, Ludwig's biting remarks affected me; although they bounced off like a lot of things he said to me, they tended to leave little dents each time. I had no such problem with any of the generals. If they had something to say about my form or speed or accuracy or the like, they said it in a neutral fashion that only encouraged me to better myself.

"Don't let your opponent lock you in a hold," This particular general told me, "If you're going to strike low, get in and out; don't let them grab you."

"Got it," I replied.

This general was a woman, about twice my age, sure of her abilities, and in possession of an unwavering sort of concentration. She could hit as hard as any man, if those tender bruises-in-the-making all over my body were anything to show for. But over the course of a few days I'd learned new moves and had honed the techniques that were already instilled in me from a long time ago, back in me and Mario's adventure days. As a result of my own diligence, I managed to knock this seasoned general off guard.

"Well done," She praised with a tight smile as I pinned her. "But you better make your move because your stance is weak; you won't hold me for long."

I would have done something, too, were it not for the sudden prickle I felt at the back of my neck. The general and I were in a dojo-styled sort of room, one that had a mirror spanning the entire left wall. That wall was across from us and when I looked over at it, I saw that the woman and I weren't alone like I'd thought. That prickle in the back of my head wasn't just a sensation, either.

It was the tip of a blade.

Ludwig had deigned it necessary to intervene in my training session and was behind me, holding his sword at the nape of my neck.

"General Terumi, you are dismissed."

At that the woman spryly maneuvered out of my hold, without much difficulty seeing as how my arms had gone lax. She bowed curtly at Ludwig and left the two of us. Now that she was out of my arms, I dove forward, away from the enforcer.

"Don't you have things to do?" I asked tiredly.

"I've done them."

"Places to be?"

"I'm here."

"Yes, but why?" I asked, "I was doing fine with the general."

_Better, actually, _I thought.

Ludwig said, "You should be glad I'm taking the time to do this with you."

"And yet I'm not." I muttered.

"Here," Ludwig handed me a sword that was sheathed behind his back.

I took the lightweight metal weapon and settled it in my grip soundly. Then I stepped backwards and watched the other male warily. Since the last time he trained me, our relations have yet to improve. I still can't stand him and as far as I know, he lives to mock and goad me. Even now he was smirking and waiting for an opening.

"One more day," He stated, "That's all we got. Let's see what you've learned."

He tossed his sword from his right hand to his left. He was ambidextrous, I'd come to find out. Just another thing I envied him for. I rolled my eyes, though, because as much as I grudgingly respected his many talents, I would never really envy _him _in particular. He was too much of a stuck-up prick.

I focused all my attention on the young man in front of me. The way he was coming at me was just plain relentless; his wrist curved impossibly as he struck at me. I was brought back to that sorry state where all I could do was back up and do my best to keep that blade from cutting away at something important.

"Still too slow," He told me.

The katana was knocked from grip and clattered to the wooden ground some distance away.

I sighed in frustration.

It wasn't that I was too slow, just that he was insanely fast. He had the strength of an ox with the self control and steadiness of a practiced open-heart surgeon. The way he fought was merciless and it was unfair to compare me to himself. I didn't dare speak of this, though. Besides, I was better at hand-to-hand than I was with the sword by a long shot: with my body as my weapon, I actually had a chance. Ludwig knew this, that's why he continued to stay on me, determined to keep me on the defensive.

He used that sword to his advantage, too, and it was getting annoying. He obviously didn't see how grossly unequal this was and how his moves were clearly meant to maim or kill. When I hit my head on the back of the wall, I realized I had nowhere else to go. With his blade near my nose I scowled.

"Why don't you put that thing away?"

He grinned and murmured, "Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you?"

"What?" I frowned at him.

"Am I too much for you, Luigi?"

I made a little noise of disgust and said, "This is stupid."

"Oh?"

"If you really wanted a challenge you'd fight me fair."

"If you were any good, you wouldn't need fairness to win."

"So this is about winning now?"

"Always has been."

"Really?" I huffed wryly, "And here I thought you were training me for the mission."

"It's all the same, really." He told me, "If you can beat me, then you can beat just about anyone."

Ludwig then sheathed his sword: I wasted no time in making a move. However, he seemed to have been anticipating this, because when I launched forward with my striking fist at the ready, he slammed his hand into the middle of my chest. That free hand I tried to block with was knocked to the side, and I to the floor on my back.

I groaned inside and tried to get back up but Ludwig stood over me, his fingers gripping my hair and holding me down. The position we were in was downright disrespectful. He was there, forcibly bowing my head, with his genitals right across from my eyes. If I was a low-down, dirty person like he was, I'd have no qualms about punching him as hard as I could.

I instead grabbed his hand and dug my nails into the back of it, and though his grip did not waver, it gave me the leverage I needed to get back to my feet. The enforcer knew I had it then. As soon as I was steady, it was over. My mind got to this place where nothing short of a natural disaster could distract me. I didn't pay attention to what he was doing or saying to me anymore.

"Better," Ludwig told me as he stopped one of my punches at last.

I didn't pull away from him like he might have expected. I left my fist in his hand and used my free one to try and grab him at the elbow like last time. He knew better this time and clinched my wrist in his hand. That gave me the entry I needed to knee him in the chin. He dropped one of his hands to block that and then he had to use that same hand to block an incoming hit with my newly freed fist, all while holding onto my right fist, which I initially used to attack him with.

I had successfully begun to overwhelm him and he knew it.

With his attention on keeping that smug face of his from getting pounded, he hardly noticed when I swept my right leg behind his left. I didn't just trip him, though, like he thought. As he fell back on his palms, intending to launch himself right back onto his feet, I hooked my leg under his knee and gave the limb a sharp yank towards me. While I planted my right foot firmly so that he couldn't get out of the bind, I raised my left foot and let it hover over the space in between his legs.

For a split second it was true, unadulterated fear that took over his features.

He knew what I _could've_ done, had I been made of sterner stuff. Had I not had so much empathy that my own nuts were cringing at the thought of that blunt action. Had I not unhooked my leg from around his and kicked him in his side instead. Ludwig didn't look particularly grateful. I couldn't read him, he'd gone blank again. But he left the room without another word so I figured he must be mad, or embarrassed, or something, I don't know.

Tomorrow was the day we would begin heading for the Mushroom Kingdom so I didn't want him holding a grudge against me for this small victory.

* * *

_Desist from your current assaults_

_Or your son and heir is mine forever_

The note's origins and authors were a mystery, but its message was quite clear. As far as its credibility went, he might not have had much faith seeing as Junior had been trained and conditioned from birth, to an extent, in the ways of an elite. He was no ordinary child that could just be snatched up by any common wayward thug. But then again, the handful of words did speak of a cultured, critical thinker; any ruffian could hold a prince for ransom until they got what they wanted, but this person wanted to keep the boy; they must know of Junior's prowess. And another thing was, his son and squad had been on assignment deep within the interior, so whoever had done this, _if _they'd done this, had to have taken him from here in the Badlands. That was a feat, seeing as his border patrol skimmed not only land but air as well.

All this speculation could be put to an end fairly easily. Junior's squad was now before the king, having been the ones to have given him the note early this morning. Bowser was in his throne room nearly ready to leave. His magicians were putting the final touches on a special sort of body armor that would work in conjunction with the metal plates over his breast and shoulders. The smiths who'd designed the armor had advised their liege to don more gear, but he'd arrogantly refused: for what purpose did he need it when he had an impenetrable shield around his body? It was temporary, yes, but how long would it take for him to off the plumber? Especially now, when he knew what was in store.

But the issue at hand demanded his attention once more.

"How is it," The king asked, "that a squad returns without their leader? And without having completed their assignment, no less?"

One of the Koopas said, "Our lack of protocol was due to His Youngest Majesty's orders, sire."

"And those orders were?"

"He told us to return to the palace straightaway, Highness, and deliver to you this note."

"Where did he get the note?" Bowser frowned.

The Koopa said, "From a human male."

The king's frowned deepened. He'd have to have his magician's analyze this later; they did have the power to channel images from one's mind, after all. That would make tracking this person down a lot easier.

"So he was taken then?" Bowser asked.

The Koopa replied, "He left of his own volition, sire."

"Really now?" He spoke with intrigue.

"He said that he would come back to see you." The Koopa stated, then added uncomfortably, "He also instructed me to tell you not to...'miss him too bad'."

Bowser narrowed his eyes. "I see."

This could mean two things. Either his son had actually had the gall to desert his squad and forfeit his first assignment, or he'd been bamboozled into leaving willingly with his captor. In both scenarios the king's attitude was the same.

"Pathetic," He scowled in disgust.

He'd had high expectations of his son and the boy had fallen short. Because of his age and naïvety, Bowser could reluctantly overlook this transgression. But that didn't mean he'd be bailing the boy out. He got himself into whatever situation he was in, so he would have to get himself out. This would be an excellent survival experience for Junior to not only gain important real-world knowledge, but also to gain back the honor he'd just lost in the Lord of the Badlands' eyes.

However.

In the event that he did not return within three days, Bowser would have to take action and get him back. Junior was his only child and heir, and though he could produce another now that he had a wife, he had to admit he was rather attached to the boy. He'd invested years of time and money and energy into molding him, after all, it was only natural he'd be somewhat fond of him.

"The troops are assembled, Highness."

Bowser looked to one of his generals and grinned, dispelling the thoughts of his missing son.

"Excellent," He replied, "Let's move out."

* * *

"Your meal."

Daisy figured she might have actually enjoyed the soup were it not all over her bare feet at the moment. The fact that less than half of it actually remained in the bowl was due to how carelessly the magician had 'set it down' in front of her. He was being so callous, like the others, because she still wouldn't talk to them after being here in the cells for nearly two days.

Or was it three?

She had been using her meals to keep track; in the mornings she was fed a bowl of porridge, near lunch a hunk of bread and some cheese, and in the evenings soup. She was hardly in the mood to eat her dinner now, mainly because of the magician's overbearing presence. The other two of his cohorts had made a habit of popping in randomly like him to bother her and she reacted the same way to them all: silence met any and all questions they had for her.

"Is she still holding up the farce, Grimus?"

"Undoubtedly so, Rhimes."

"Despicable."

Daisy groaned to herself.

_Now they're all here; great. As if I wasn't miserable enough. _

But if she were being perfectly honest, she hadn't been doing _that _badly as of yet. She slept at night and ate three square meals with water that was fresh and untapped. And so long as the magicians weren't around, she was alone with her thoughts.

_My thoughts aren't so tame, _she knew, _and the magicians **are **here. Just because I'm not dead doesn't mean this is an ideal situation. _

A few times she'd tried calling out for Pepita, for anybody, but she had the impression that she was the only one in the dungeons. Either that, or the other prisoners were too afraid to answer her.

But why would they be afraid? she wondered. Perhaps they were too badly injured to speak; but what kind of injury would do that? Her mind was only too eager to supply images of such gory ailments that would prevent their calling out. She shuddered.

_For the sake of my sanity, I'll just assume there is no one else, _she had decided to believe.

Daisy patted her palms along the sooty ground floor in search of the spoon that had bounced out of the bowl. She found it and used the hem of her dingy gown to remove the dirt. It wouldn't do to be picky; picky people went hungry and she would need her strength, seeing as how she had no clue what was coming next or what she'd be put through.

"Were it up to me," The magician called Rhimes spoke, "She wouldn't have the luxury of eating."

"Her only meal would be that of the arsenic-ridden carcass that bears her nature."

Daisy wasn't a genius but she knew what that insult meant: with a tight frown she thought, _I'd like to see him choke down a poisoned rat and see how much he likes it. __  
_

"Won't you confess to your crimes, girl?" Grimus sneered.

"Indeed," The other chimed, "You're already guilty of treason, why incriminate yourself any further with your silence?"

"Since when has silence incriminated anyone?" She finally snapped.

Daisy had planned on not rising to the bait, but enduring days of this had worn on her. She hated these men, loathed them if not that.

Grimus, tall and spindly, stepped towards her. "Insolent wench!"

"You have no right to harass me." Daisy cried indignantly. "And I'm not a wench." _  
_

"What are you then?" He challenged.

"A liar!"

"And a wench!"

His buddies answered for her and only incensed her all the more. She balled her fists at her sides, her dinner all but forgotten. The girl stood to her feet and glared at them boldly.

"The king said you can't interrogate me anyway," She reminded them, "You're only supposed to feed me and _treat me well_, as per his orders."

Her princess was showing through as she recited the older royal's words. The magicians were unfazed for the most part, and surrounded her on all sides.

"Stupid girl, do you now rely on the protection of the king?"

"The very same king you poisoned?"

"I didn't poison him!" She cried.

_Well technically I didn't, _she thought to herself. Her hesitation and withering will was duly noted by the magicians, and thusly exploited.

"The king cares not for one so lowly as you, a mere kitchen hand."

"If he did, why then would you be here? In the dungeons?"

Daisy bit her lip and said, "It doesn't matter. He ordered you not to hurt me."

"Ah, but he is not here."

"He'll find out," She declared, "I'll tell him."

"But will he take your word over ours?"

"Especially if we are careful to heal any cut or bruise you may provoke us to inflict."

"And without any evidence, how then can we be convicted?"

Daisy blinked and started to tremble. They were scaring her, they really were. If what they said was true, she was in trouble.

"Yes, you foolish girl, now you see."

"You are at our mercy."

"And if you were smart, which I highly doubt, you would aim to please the likes of us."

Daisy swallowed and sat back down. She was quiet, regarding her age-old tormentors warily. She didn't know whether or not they were bluffing, but she didn't want to test them. They hated her as far as she could tell so she had to put an inkling of faith in their words. Then something occurred to her.

"Fine." She acceded with a sweet smile. "I'll give you the answers you want."

"But!" She cut in as they were getting excited.

Daisy folded her arms and looked up at them. "How are you going to relay this information to the king? Do you really think he'll be so glad that you got the information he wanted that he'll overlook the fact that you disobeyed him?"

"Absolutely." Grimus replied, though not assuredly.

Daisy said, "I don't know about that. There had to have been a reason behind his orders. Maybe he wants to uh, get the answers from me himself."

"But of course," Rhimes breathed, "It is his way."

"Indeed." Grimus stated, disheartened. "He wouldn't be pleased if his fun were spoilt."

"Perhaps, if we oblige him, he'll let us have a hand in her torture."

_Okay, so this is not working out how I planned, _Daisy panicked, _torture? I've never been tortured before in my life, but I've heard horror stories. _

She shuddered. She was suddenly disconcerted and in some measure of regret that she hadn't allowed the magicians to work her over. She was almost positive that what they would do was no match to what the Dark King had in store for her. And besides, they had even planned to heal her; granted, it was to cover their tracks, but still.

She was doomed now.

* * *

**A/N: Please don't shoot me. **

**I know that 1. it's a late chapter and 2. it's a short chapter, but there's a good reason: ****It's really hard to write when your eyes don't have the proper medicine they need (contacts/glasses) **

**Also, I had some family trouble over the weekend.**

**But I'll just make the font on my cpu super huge so that I can keep putting up more chapters! **

**Please review and don't stop reading, I appreciate your support and feedback :) **

**~DymondGold~**


	38. Chapter 38

**A quick update for my beloved readers**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

* * *

Everything was dark.

The night, crisp and cold and foreboding with its starless sky and dying breezes. The cloaks that enshrouded me and all the other soldiers of Sarasaland. The blue-eyed horses we all rode with their hooves thundering against the ground in their haste. My mood.

Especially that.

I knew this was a necessary part of the mission and I was glad for the impending confrontation: it would give me a chance to fight with my brother and attack the menace that was Bowser. But I was also angry. Ludwig had done something before we left, well, he said something to be more specific. What he told me made me want to wring his neck, choke the life out of him until his eyes rolled back and his face turned as blue as his long stringy hair. I couldn't even repeat it in thought, what he had to say. It had to do with Daisy and he already knew she was a tender subject for me and yet he still-

I had to stop in that line of thinking and take a sharp breath. The reins were flatter than the crust down at the parlor I worked at back home thanks to how tightly I was squeezing them. He really had a talent for pissing me off. No, it was more than that. I would work with him now, the state of the Mushroom World called for it, but after this was all over, he'd be lucky if I didn't make good on some of my darker, more carnal imaginations. What I would do, for the betterment of both of us, is find some place to settle down with Daisy and stay the hell away from him.

Contrary to the rest of the troops, I didn't stop in the tight wall-like formation at the Mushroom Kingdom's border. No, I pulled my steed right up there near Ludwig's. Again, as much as I hated to be around him, the situation did call for it. He was in charge and I had to respect that, for now.

"You've come."

It was the Dark King, in the flesh. Well, armor. He had these metal plates over his shoulders and chest and around his waist in the style of a sarong. Also, he seemed to be...glowing? That could be my eyes playing tricks on me. God knows I haven't been sleeping well. All I can think about, dream about, is Daisy. In fact, that was why I was mad at Ludwig right now. I'd asked him earlier to ask the king about her before we start the mission, and he could've just told me no. But instead, he not only refused, he threw in some caustic words about how she was not the most important concern right now. I could understand that, but he didn't have to say a damn thing against her. Like I said, all he had to do was tell me no and I would've gotten the idea.

"I would have hated to disappoint." Ludwig drawled to the king.

Something threatening lurked in his casual reply of, "Not as much as me."

"Now that you're here," Bowser spoke, "Let's set out."

Ludwig nodded. He waited until after Bowser had eagerly led his troops out towards the interior to send off the Sarasaland soldiers. What Bowser didn't know, was that underneath those cloaks, our forces were dressed as Mario's royal guard. Not only that, they were all armed with two syringes each, filled to the max with that poison Ludwig concocted. They had their orders to fortify Mario's borders and fight alongside his men. The enforcer had made sure to let his former enemy know of this beforehand so that friendly fires wouldn't be an issue.

"You ready for this?" The blue-haired male asked me.

I still couldn't stand to look at him, so I let my speeding off towards the lake be my answer. I had to get to the interior and find my brother. The quickest way to do that would be to go through the woods and come through the other side to the market. What I didn't bank on, was how badly being near the lake would affect me. I had to pull up short when I got to it because this wave of nostalgia just hit me full on. I got the usual symptoms: heavy heart, painful lump deep in my throat, prickled, wet eyes. On that horse, staring out at the placid water, all I could see was her. Daisy. That beautiful little woman who I fell in love with so long ago. She was in the water now, I could swear she was, up to her curvy waist in the stuff and wringing moisture out of her hair. To the side her head was tipped, and there was a concentrated sort of pout to her wet lips.

I rubbed my hands over my face and dispelled the image from my mind. Then I picked up the reins and continued on my way.

There were no more hiccups in the road to the palace, not even when I passed her shop in the market. I did wonder about her cousins. How was Danny? Still protecting his younger brother? Hopefully Meech hadn't gotten sick again. I knew the two of them had to be worried about their cousin. It would fall on me, the guilt and the blame, were anything to happen to her.

_Nothing's gonna' happen to her, _I avowed

As I might have suspected had I given it some thought, there were no guards at the palace. Mario must not have had them to spare. I guided the horse I rode around to the back and tried to scout out anyone who could help me. There I saw a few remaining guards, taking off in the direction where I knew Bowser's Koopas to be. I started to go over to them.

A bullet whizzed by me.

If that guard hadn't been such a poor shot, that might have killed me. He had a gun in his hands, this guard, and I wondered then where in the world it came from. It looked more out of place than a bag of jerky at a vegan convention. The guard toting it didn't seem too confident either, I noticed. That wasn't the only thing I noticed.

"Don't shoot! Please!" I shouted as I shrugged quickly out of my cloak.

The guard was the blonde one that I used to nod to upon arriving and leaving the palace in those days that I visited Daisy everyday. He instantly recognized me and smiled weakly before lowering his weapon. I cautiously turned my horse and let it trot over to him.

"Can you take me to my brother?" I chanced.

He nodded and mounted a fine white steed of his own.

"Thanks," I told him in relief.

When he nodded again, I realized something. This soldier had not once spoken to me since I've known him. It wasn't because he was the run of the mill, taciturn soldier, and it wasn't because he had taken some sort of oath like those guys at Buckingham Palace.

It was because he was mute.

* * *

Ludwig had his work cut out for him this time, but that was often the case whenever he chose to embark upon something as advantageous and inscrutable as winning a war. He had been in but one before, and he would not have survived that one without his cunning and duplicity. He applied those same ingenuities to the battle at hand.

The first thing he'd done, upon setting his disguised men off to fortify the borders, was rain down a heavy fog. He made sure to span the misty blanket of an obstruction over the lot of Bowser's Koopa. The fog was a temporary spell, so he didn't count on it to serve as more than an initial inhibitor.

The next spell he cast was over the Koopas' horses; this incantation sent the beasts into a foam-mouthed frenzy. They spasmed out of controlled, bucked wildly, and stamped the Koopas underfoot. Granted, the stomping didn't kill the Dark King's troops unless their temples were squashed, but for those who didn't die, they certainly didn't walk away unharmed: a missing eye or misaligned jaw was as good a weakness as he was willing to take.

The last thing he did, of course, was shoot stunning spells every which way he could, making the Koopas freeze in place and fall susceptible to whatever attack came at them in the next twelve seconds. Even with all this aid, Ludwig could see that the plumber's men still needed a little help. In addition to that, his magical energy was nearly expended. That was why he'd taken up a sword of his own, a poison-edged naginata, and had begun slaying the Koopas himself.

Under the guise of another royal guard, of course.

* * *

"Nowhere else for you to run, Monkey Wrench," The Dark King spoke tauntingly.

Across from him Mario climbed cautiously down from his horse. Indeed he _had_ led Bowser from the interior to the Western outskirts, but it wasn't out of fear; he'd never run away from Bowser. He just didn't want his kingdom getting destroyed in the event that the next stunt he tried to pull didn't work. And speaking of that stunt.

"Just you and me," The king also dismounted.

"That's about to change." The plumber retorted.

Mario stood stalwartly and brought out his assault rifle. He jammed the magazine in, aimed it at Bowser's head, and opened fired. His finger never left the trigger as he emptied an entire round on the king. However, something was wrong. The king wasn't lying dead like he'd thought.

He was laughing.

Mario didn't think as he wasted the rest of his bullets on the evil king, garnering the same results as before. The bullets failed to penetrate the king's skin at all. Only when he was completely out of ammunition did Mario stop and take the situation into account. He was alone, miles away from his soldiers and the source of his weapon's power, with the murderous Lord of the Badlands.

This revelation didn't scare him so much as perplex him to no end.

"What the hell?" He barked.

The king was supposed to be dead, lying flat out in the grass in a pool of his own blood and innards. He wasn't supposed to be standing there laughing and folding his arms as if he were humoring a child and his toy dart guns.

"Finished?" Bowser smirked.

Mario growled and threw his weapon on the ground before unsheathing his blade. He stepped towards the king, who tilted his head but otherwise made no move.

"Not so fast," Bowser implored.

Mario rolled his eyes and thought, _so he's feeling mouthy? Should give me an easy opening. _

"I'll admit it only because I'm gonna' kill you anyway," Bowser began, "You fucked me over pretty well last time."

The king looked down at his chest. It was still a bit tender from his previous encounter.

"Because of that," He continued, "I had my magicians rectify the matter."

"Invincibility frame!" Mario suddenly exclaimed. "God damn you!"

"Yes, let your God damn me to Hell." Bowser laughed. "Now do you see why your petty bullets would never have broken this one's skin?"

"It won't last forever," Mario spoke knowingly.

Bowser shrugged, "Don't need it to."

* * *

When the guard and I didn't find Mario in the three locations where most of the action was taking place, I'd begun to worry. I had no idea that my fears would be confirmed when we arrived at the western borders. There I saw something incredibly disturbing.

On the ground with his coat torn and bloody was my brother, sporting various burns and cuts elsewhere as well. He was fighting to keep Bowser's hand at bay and was risking sweltering burns to his palms in the process, seeing as how Bowser's hand was nearly glowing from the heat that had emanated from there. Inches from my brother's nose was the tip of a fiery dagger, its flames licking at Mario's skin and making my own olfactory organ itch. I immediately sprung into action.

I didn't have a weapon since I saw the katana to be more of a hindrance than a help, but I did have a vial of Ludwig's poison. I jumped on Bowser's back and stabbed the syringe into the side of his neck as hard as I could. Considering the thing sunk all the way in past the needle, I'd say my rage fueled me pretty well. Mario called out for me, I think, when Bowser slung me off his back with a feral roar.

Much to my dismay, the poison did nothing.

_Wait a minute, _I thought, _wasn't he glowing before? Definitely not a trick of my eyes, he was glowing. Now he's not. Maybe the vial did something after all. _

"You broke through his invincibility frame." Mario stated in a shallow breath. "How?"

"No clue." I replied, "Are you alright?"

It was a stupid question but it was a reflexive one. Mario shrugged and limped over to me in the short time we had to recuperate. He took my shoulders and hugged me, then kissed my head; if I wasn't so glad to see him I'm sure I'd feel the familiar mortification.

"What are you doing here, baby brother?" He spoke sharply.

_Savin' your ass apparently, _I thought wryly, _and not for the first time._

Aloud I said, "What do you think?"

"You gotta' get out of here." He warned me wearily.

"I'm not going anywhere," I told him stolidly.

Then my brother smiled grimly. "Good, 'cause I kinda' need you."

"Kinda'?" I smirked.

"Hey," Mario grinned good-naturedly.

I almost forgot where, that's how good it was to see him. But Bowser's enraged growl of a voice brought me back to the now.

"Isn't this _touching_?" He spat, "Your lunk-head brother's come to join you in death."

"He won't be dying," Mario retorted, "Not if I can help it."

I loved my brother and all, but he might as well have slapped a target on my back for all the good his last declaration cost me. The Dark King saw that as a challenge and lunged right for me with his fist afire.

I leapt backwards and still got my t-shirt burned. Unlike all the others in this battle, I wore regular cotton training pants and a black shirt. I now realized that I should have sucked up the fact that the armor Ludwig tried to give me was clumsily fitted and heavy on my body; some protection, even some so cumbersome as poorly-modeled chain mail, was better than none.

However, two on one was proving to have its advantages. Mario and I held our own, so long as we stayed in front and behind him so as to always have him disoriented.

"Your brother fights valiantly," Bowser jeered, "Too bad he's gonna fall for you."

Mario plunged his sword into the king's side, earning himself a furious hiss of pain from his adversary. He let his actions do the talking instead of goading like Bowser. The king hadn't learned such a valuable lesson.

"No matter how hard you fight, you'll lose!" He shouted, "It must kill you to know that, huh?"

Bowser turned to engage me and Mario continued to find gaps in his plated armor with his skillful blade.

"Not only your kingdom will belong to me," Bowser grinned, "But that divine woman as well. She's mine now. Married and all. And when I get back from slaying you..."

Mario's indignant cry cut off whatever lewd description the king was about to go into. I didn't want to know how that felt, having the woman you loved at the mercy of this violent, sexual predator. If the roles were switched and it was Daisy he were speaking of...the temperature of my blood suddenly spiked a million degrees. I joined my brother in fighting even harder against the cocky tyrant.

But then the king got fed up and struck my brother in the mouth, then on the side of his head. I hated those kinds of strikes because now Mario was down and unmoving. Now it was just me, waiting the king out. I wasn't a fool, I wasn't going to just lunge in there. It would be the death of me. Like with Ludwig, I searched for an opening.

"Scared, boy?" Bowser teased.

I stayed away from him and moved in a wide, counter-clockwise fashion. My blood was pumping in my ears and my heart was thumping behind my ribs. In addition to these bodily distractions, something else stole my focus.

The guard.

The mute one.

He'd come back.

And he was armed with a rifle like my brother's.

_Hallelujah! _

"It is such a shame to cut down a fighter in his prime," Bowser raved,"but I gotta do what I gotta do."

It would seem he hadn't noticed the guard. Good. He was behind the king, shakily handling his new weapon. I tried not to stare too long at the guard who was just as nervous as me, lest I call attention to him and cause the end of both of us.

"You understand, don't you?" The king spoke cloyingly.

I stopped in my circling and nodded. "Sure."

This made the king raise a brow. "What's this?"

_Gotta' keep him talking, he loves to monologue. But how do I get him started? _

I decided to grovel, it pandered to his ego in a way that arrogant beings liked; yes, I was thinking of Ludwig, only not quite, since Ludwig couldn't be manipulated this easily.

"I can't win," I lied, "I know this."

"Smart boy." Bowser praised, "So you _are _the better of you two plumbers. But I'm afraid your sensibility will get you nowhere."

He was still now, standing there with his head cocked and his lips twitching amusedly. Now was the time. I flashed urgent eyes to the guard and was glad for his muteness; he was clearly familiar with non-verbal communication. He raised the weapon to eye-level and let the king have it.

But damn was he a poor shot.

The bullets came fast and managed to graze the king in several places, but as I hit the ground, I knew that none of them hit any place important. I glanced up and saw white-hot fury written in bold, capital letters all over the king's face but he was no fool; once bitten, twice shy was the phrase that came to mind as I saw him jump on his horse and flee.

The guard dropped his gun and hurried over to me. I got up and went over to my fallen brother. He was still out and bleeding in several places.

"Can you help me move him to the palace?" I asked.

The guard nodded, and together we hoisted Mario up between us. As we made haste towards the castle, I thought about how unfortunate it was that Bowser, the coward that he was, managed to get away. I couldn't worry about him now, though, Mario was in need of a good doctor and that wasn't me. Somehow I doubted all those nights of watching E.R. in high school would do me no good in this instance.

* * *

Even if it was to keep up appearances, Ludwig had the distinct impression that he shouldn't have been so complacent upon slaying one of the very men he'd been fighting alongside. It had taken him but a moment to drop his henge, and even less time still to turn his blade, still fresh with warm Koopa blood, onto the Mushroom Kingdom soldier. He only slayed one, as mandated by the Dark King's sudden presence. He didn't relish in the killing after all. Ludwig flicked the redness off his once-pristine naginata and turned to the older royal.

Bowser was the quintessence of unbridled rage.

"My men are dying!" He boomed, "How can this be?! What's going on?!"

Ludwig shrugged coolly and stepped to the side where the king merely watched his Koopas fall. Most of the ones left had no helmets and were taking bullets to the head. It was a sorry sight to see. Ludwig would never bat an eye or shed a tear for those creatures though, they were, after all, beneath him.

"Defeat." The young man spoke.

"What?" Bowser grimaced.

"You asked what's going on," Ludwig supplied, "Defeat."

Bowser stared at him for a long time but eventually let this go. Ludwig knew he would. It was why the young enforcer pushed his limits so often with the king. Not only because he hated the older royal with a passion more zealous than the most ardent of loves, but because he loved to test people. He knew Bowser needed him and that was probably the only thing keeping him from harm. Bowser had not once had someone on his side, or seemingly so, that was half as intelligent and cunning as Ludwig. The young man, at nineteen, was more impressive than the king himself and had Bowser ever realized this, he might not have been so lenient. There was nothing the king mistrusted more than someone who was more powerful, more cunning, more sneaky and deviant than himself.

Oh, could Ludwig hide that which he did not wish to be seen or detected.

And Bowser didn't detect any of his indiscretions; not the fact that Ludwig was here, on the side of Mario's men, or that there was not a scratch to be found or a hair out of place on the young man.

"We're leaving," Bowser spoke with finality.

Still Ludwig questioned him.

"What of your men?" He asked lazily.

_Not that I give a damn, _he thought with a small smirk, _nor do I think they can really be addressed as such. _

"They have their orders to fight to the death," Bowser stated dismissively.

Ludwig asked, "Won't the absence of their king lower their morale?"

"They're fucking animals; they have no morale." The king sneered.

"So you'll let them perish?" Ludwig gauged.

Bowser stated, "I'll be damned if I call another retreat."

He pulled something from his back pocket then, something Ludwig instantly recognized but pretended whole-heartedly that he had no knowledge of.

"I found this near one of the plumber's dead guards," The king said, "Rather curious thing, it could be the very same poison that did the other troops in."

Ludwig stared at the full vial as if looking over one of his brother's ameteur inventions; with some great amount of disinterest.

"Do you recognize it, by any chance?" Bowser asked suddenly.

He handed the liquid to Ludwig, who turned it over in his hands. At least, that's what Bowser thought he'd done. What really occurred was that the former enforcer channeled a bit of magic to his fingertips and used that energy to alter the contents of the vial. This way, the substance was reduced to an extremely powerful aphrodisiac. The two mixtures were surprisingly alike in composition so it took very little effort to make the transformation. As he handed it back, the young man didn't let on to what he'd just done.

"Never seen anything like it." he thought to reply.

"Neither have I," Bowser admitted, having never suspected Ludwig in the first place.

"You said this is a poison?" The blue-haired man spoke, "It doesn't look so harmful."

Bowser made a face, "No, but it's some pretty nasty stuff. I've seen the corpses."

"Ah." Ludwig remarked.

He had to nearly bite a hole in the side of his tongue to keep from smirking.

"I'll see if I can get my magicians to replicate the formula." Bowser said.

Ludwig scoffed gently and whispered, "As if they could."

"What?"

"Nothing."

* * *

It wasn't the magicians, come to bring her a meal or, more likely, torment her any further with their insults and demands. It wasn't them, because there was no shuffling of old bones and long robes as they made their way down the stairs. There were no condescending remarks about the stench of these parts or about the arduous task of sustaining one so ungrateful and unworthy as her. There was none of this, and it disappointed her. No, that wasn't the right word.

It terrified her.

No, she did not miss their company in the slightest. It's just their absence, and what it implied, more importantly, that had her suddenly on edge. Because if it wasn't them who'd shoved the door open with a bang and was thudding down the steps assuredly, then it could only be one other person. The person she knew she'd have to see eventually, the one person she was dreading a confrontation with.

The Mighty Dark King, himself.

* * *

**A/N: A cliffhanger, yes: again, please don't shoot me! Lol. As you can see, I typed this in a few hours so my eye problem is working out okay. I appreciate you guys' concern, though :)**

**Please review and tell me what you think so far! That battle obviously did not work out in anyone's favor.**

** And Daisy is now left with the king, who's not happy about what went down; you think he'll take his frustration out on her, maybe? **

**Oh, and what about Peach? Don't think I forgot about her! **

**Stay tuned because I'm already working on the next chapter! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	39. Chapter 39

**Just a fair warning, this chapter is quite dark (not as dark as it could be, since I'm kind of afraid of what I can away with on this site) so if this bothers you, just wait for the next chapter. **

**If you're cool with this...**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

**I also do not own anything related to Harry Potter, be it spells or what have you; it belongs to J. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

* * *

_Please, just one more day; just give me one more day before I have to face him, please oh please just one more day to prepare myself-No. On second thought, I need to confront him now. It's better if I deal with whatever he has for me up front, not wait out my inevitable torment. _

As the heavy footsteps got closer to her cell, Daisy's thoughts grew more frantic and more paranoid. She was sitting on the metal slab of a bed that hung on the wall and out of fear her fingers closed painfully over the edge on either side of her legs. Like a sheep before slaughter, she knew what was coming but that revelation spurred no sort of movement from her. She sat rooted in that bed when the king's visage came into view. He turned the key in the lock and her breathing hitched. When he slammed open the heavy door, making the bars rattle violently, she was sweating all over.

"Evening Rose." He spoke softly, "Or is that even your name?"

Daisy could only stare at him as he got closer, closer, too much closer to her. His appearance was not what she expected, either. He looked good today, er, tonight, but that wasn't the point. He looked _too _good. No, that's not what she meant either. He didn't have any injuries or visible ailments that she could tell of. He was dressed in a simple short-sleeved shirt and silk pants. She didn't think that he would be so untouched if that battle he attended had gone in Mario's favor.

_So does that mean Mario lost? No, _she didn't think so; _if he would have won, he'd be gloating and rubbing it in. He looks pretty neutral: what does that mean? _

She hated that she couldn't read him at all. He was just like Ludwig in that respect. The girl swallowed hard and sat up a bit straighter as he got closer still.

"You certainly don't _look _like the Rose I know." Bowser stated in a quiet voice.

She made the mistake of looking into those jade eyes and seeing the tempest within them.

_Oh no, _she feared, _he **didn't** win, he definitely did **not** win. So what does that mean for me? _

Bowser was right in front of her with his shimmery black pants brushing her bare knees. His cleanness only made her self-conscious about her own filthy appearance. Her hair was limp and stringy and her gown was white, so all the dirt and spilled food and tears had clearly left their marks. Bowser obviously didn't think she was that nasty if he didn't mind taking a few locks of her long hair in between his index finger and thumb as he gazed softly at her.

"This is how it's going to go," He started to tell her, "I'll ask you a question, and you'll give me an honest reply. I'll in turn ask you another question, and you'll respond in a like fashion. Understand?"

She blinked and nodded slowly, causing a gentle smile to stretch across the king's mouth.

"Good," He praised in that deceptively soft voice.

"I'll start with something easy," He spoke, "Who are you?"

His inquiry was met with silence.

The king stared at her and said, "Oh come, now; the charm has been removed so I know you can speak."

Still Daisy said nothing. _He can't possibly think I'll willingly tell him anything, does he? _

Bowser sighed and tucked a finger under her chin. "Don't make me force it out of you, precious."

_Precious?_ she could only wonder at his behavior. _Does he think that'll make me warm up to him? I just find it weird. And creepy. _

Seeing that she wouldn't speak, the king continued.

He asked, "Who are you working for?"

Silence.

"What have you told them?"

Silence.

"Did you poison me?"

More silence.

"Where is my son?"

A small cough.

Now that she had no clue about.

_Bowser Junior is missing? When did this happen? Is Ludwig behind that, too? I hope he knows what he's doing, if he is. _

At her pervasive silence, Bowser let his aggravation manifest in the form of a strong set to his mouth and a sharp narrowing of his eyes. He folded his arms and regarded her critically.

"So this is the game you want to play, then?" He spoke lowly.

She had no forewarning when he yanked her by the arm off the metal bed and dragged her to the center of her cell. He stood before her with his fingers gripping her skin tightly enough to bruise.

"What is your name?" He asked her plainly.

She treated the inquiry as all others and refused to answer. After a few seconds, she reaped the consequences of her obstinacy in the form of a sharp blow to the side of her face.

He'd used his open palm to strike her but that hadn't lessened the force behind the hit by much. Her head snapped to the right and her hair covered her burning cheek. Oh, it burned but not as much as the rest of her body. She'd gone up in temperature now that her fight or flight instincts were setting in. She wanted to flee so badly but that evil beast of a man was holding her in place with his vice-grip on her forearm.

She'd never been struck before.

Physically and emotionally this was a new sort of pain for her. She didn't dare look up at her assailant, and she had to suck in her bottom lip to keep from breaking down right then and there.

_No, I'm stronger than this, _she lied to herself, so desperately she lied.

"Look at me," The king ordered.

She had no choice because he used his left hand to seize her chin roughly and force her gaze upwards. Then she could see that he had no sort of remorse or pity anywhere on his face. Not that she had expected any but still; it was unnatural. People didn't just slap another person and remain unfazed.

"Who are you working for?"

She said not a word and the pain came swiftly this time. Or maybe it seemed that way because she now expected it.

"What have you told them?"

This time he let her go and she was knocked to the floor. She put her weight on one palm and with her fingers she pried into her mouth. It was as she suspected; he'd drawn blood from where her teeth cut into the inside of her cheek. Now her skin was on fire all over from the adrenaline and her body was quivering. She still didn't cry, though the tears rocked at her water line precariously.

From her felled position she saw the king look down on her impassively. She swallowed the spit and blood that was accruing in her mouth with a pained grimace and glared up at him.

_I'm not afraid of you, _she would have told him were her courage not on vacation, _you can't scare me this way, _she tried to persuade herself and tried to mentally impress upon him.

"So you want to be stubborn?" Bowser spoke.

He raised his hand and she ducked fearfully. His hand wasn't to hit her, though; he wasn't even looking her was. His eyes were on the cell doors, or rather past them actually. She stared in that direction and abruptly wish she hadn't: ignorance, even about five seconds of it, was better than foresight and knowing, especially where the bane of her existence was concerned.

All three of those banes.

Bowser took her arm and yanked her to her feet once more, without the pretense of gentleness or delicacy. Daisy tried to pull away but that only got her in trouble. The king took a handful of her thick, healthy hair then. She wasn't tender-headed by a long shot, but right then every one of her follicles were screaming out in pain in a way that her throat wasn't being allowed to.

That was when she broke.

But just to the point to where she let the tears begin to stream down. She sniffed but didn't try to escape this time. Just standing still warranted having her head feel like it was being torn off at the scalp.

Bowser signaled to the magicians and they entered the cell as a congruously-moving unit. She winced when the king jerked her head back and used his thumb to swipe away her fresh tears.

"Last chance, precious." He crooned, "This is your last chance to tell me what I want and avoid making things difficult for yourself."

Daisy couldn't speak if she wanted to, and she very badly wanted to. But she couldn't live with herself knowing she'd caved at the first sign of pain and torment. She didn't know it, but she was holding herself to an unfair standard; having never been subjected to torture before, she didn't know what the respectable amount one was expected to endure in order to be considered heroic or brave. Her greatest fear was not of the pain, but of being labeled as a coward and letting her friends down.

"So you won't speak."

Daisy blinked and braced herself for the inevitable pain that her silence would bring. As she focused her light eyes on the king's with her face upturned towards him, she saw that he was looking rather expectant. Then it hit her. He wanted an answer to that; would she speak or not, that's what he was asking.

She shook her head.

"Pity," He smirked.

The king released her hair gently and stroked his fingers on the way out of the tangled mass. He then stepped over to his magician, Grimus, and held out his hand. Grimus unclasped his hands and revealed a golden chalice that had been hiding in his gnarled hand, completely cloaked between the billowing sleeves of his deep violet robes. Bowser took the chalice, sniffed it, then brought it over to the frightened young girl. She backed up as he approached, which only made him grip at her already sore forearm.

"Drink this," He ordered.

_There is no way, _Daisy thought with a sudden adamance.

At her refusal Bowser said, "Drink it or I'll make you, and I don't think you want that."

_I don't think so, either, _she thought, _but that doesn't mean I'll just chug down some unfamiliar substance. _

"It won't hurt you," He told her.

_As if that means anything to me, _she scoffed internally.

His countenance darkened as the moments wore on until he could take her insubordination no longer. The king reached forward and pinched her nostrils shut. Daisy was taken by surprise at the unorthodox method and almost immediately opened her mouth.

_I can't believe I fell for that, _she thought disconsolately.

As soon as her lips parted Bowser had shoved the cold metal up to her mouth and had drowned her in the fruity, pink liquid. She choked down a good bit before closing off her mouth. By then it was too late anyway, because the king had pulled the chalice back with a smug grin.

"Now was that so bad?" He cooed.

She was confused because no, it wasn't so bad at all. It was the most pleasant thing she'd ingested all week, to be honest.

_What's the catch? What's in it? What will it do to me? _

"If you do decided to talk," Bowser spoke, "That serum will ensure that only the truth leaves your pretty mouth."

And now she felt doomed.

_I can't say anything, _the girl lamented, _maybe before I took that potion I could have lied to him, filter out a convincing set of answers that didn't get anyone in trouble and also satisfied him. Now I don't have a choice. Now I can't say anything. _

"Ready to tell me who you are now?" He quipped.

Daisy was resolute. She'd made her decision and would stick with it. She didn't think the king would kill her, so she'd let him do his worst. She shook her head before she had a chance to lose her nerve.

"Shame." He remarked.

Bowser gave the chalice to one of his magicians and gripped Daisy by the forearms again. Holding in a cry she could do, but hide that wince at the pain? Impossible. She was certain the bruise would never fade from her arm once this night was over.

The king pulled out a knife.

Immediately Daisy stiffened. She could remember the last time the three of them had been together; her, the king, and a blade. It hadn't been pretty. She didn't think this time would be any better seeing as the creation in his left hand was a much more menacing model than the plain kitchen knife.

"This is one of my favorite weapons," Bowser spoke softly, "It's been tailored to bring its victims a...unique sort of pain."

Daisy swallowed and kept her eyes trained on the beautiful golden and silver slim thing in his hand.

"Not only does it cut extremely well," He raved, "But it channels heat and fire as well."

_Why me? _She wondered what on earth she could have done to warrant this kind of evil karma.

"Will you speak to me now?" Bowser murmured.

As much as she was afraid of the repercussions, Daisy was about to shake her head once more. However, Bowser stopped her. He moved his hand from her forearm to around her waist, then pulled her close to his own body. The tip of the blade was in that unwelcome spot against her pliant lips.

"Before you answers," He coaxed, "Think about the consequences."

_It would behoove me not to, _she knew, _lest I damn the people I care about. _

She shook her head.

Daisy watched a horrible smirk curve handsomely over his face and braced her body to take on whatever pain came next. But seconds passed with no action so she looked up at him in confusion. He was still grinning when she locked eyes with him, and that was when it happened.

He plunged the blade right into her abdomen.

The king was quick in pulling the thing right back out so she had little time to process what had happened. It was so sudden, the jarring pain and unclean sensation of having her gown abruptly soaked in warm, sticky blood. She lost her breath when she dared look down. And when she placed her hand over her stomach, she nearly swooned. Whether it was the gore or the intense, inflamed sort of pain brewing above her navel, she felt light-headed and dropped to her knees.

_He stabbed me! He really did it; he stabbed me! _

She couldn't wrap her head around it but it was real; the pain, the blood, it was all real.

_He stabbed me! _

Her body started to jerk and heave as if she were trying to throw up but not getting past the gagging part.

_Stabbed **me**! _

Her breaths came out short and shallow, each inhalation a laborious task that caused pins and stars to swim through her brain from the pain it caused her wounded stomach.

_He really stabbed me! _

"It hurts, doesn't it, precious?" Bowser spoke with a tone of mock-sympathy.

Daisy couldn't stop herself as she choked out these stifled little noises. There was a nervousness in between her legs for some reason and it was driving her mad, having no relief from that or the amazing distress within her sheared intestines.

"Heal her."

Those were two words she'd thought her addled mind had hallucinated up for her as some sort of consolatory gesture. But no, it must have been real because the magicians were stalking towards her now. Out of a self-preservative instinct she scooted back piteously away from them with soot clinging to her bloody palm.

Grimus, who must have been the head of the court, was the one to steady her harshly and shove his hand into her fresh wound. The noise that escaped her was more of a whine, something breathy and shocked. But then it melted into an embarrassing moan that, coupled with her eyes fluttering shut, gave the impression of intense pleasure. It did feel so good to be healed of that encompassing pain that had plagued her so badly, and when the magician was finished, he left her slumped over on her bottom with her head bowed and her respiratory system completely out of whack.

_What? _Her mind was hazy and that's all she could come up with. She couldn't fathom how there was nothing there anymore. She didn't care who was watching, she popped open the top buttons of her gown and dove her hand down where her injury was. Her tentativeness was wasted when she found that the spot wasn't even tender. Upon flexing her muscles, she still felt no pain. _What? _she wondered once more.

Bowser could tell she was confused but offered her no explanation as he yanked her up. The blood had crusted over her stomach but was still moist on her gown and for that she felt disgusting. She was also still shaken from what occurred. When Bowser pulled out that knife again she panicked.

The girl wrestled out of his grasp and tried to get away from him in the small cell. He easily overpowered her and bound her to his body with her back to his chest. The thing that made her still was when he poked his knife right over the bloody spot he'd stabbed before. She felt her legs lock up and knew that if he wasn't holding her, she'd be on the ground.

"Now let's try this again," Bowser whispered near the shell of her ear, "This time, I'll ask you three questions."

She gulped, and that spit threatened to come right back up before it even touched her damaged stomach. Bowser rested his chin on her shoulder and rocked his hips into her to keep her still.

"Now listen to me, precious; I do hate to hurt you," He lied, "So you only have to answer one of them."

Daisy was wheezing, wheezing now. She had never experienced a panic attack but then again, she'd never been stabbed or slapped either: this was just a night of great firsts.

"Are you ready?" The king asked.

He took her silence positively and inquired, "Who are you?"

She didn't answer him.

Bowser chuckled and said, "That was one. Try to respond next time, okay?"

He dragged the knife from her stomach lightly around to her back, where he drew it up and down her spine teasingly. She arched her back away from him but he flattened the blade against her gown and slammed her flush against him once more.

Would tonight bear witness to her first heart attack as well? Another shock like that and she wouldn't doubt it.

"Who are you working for?" He asked, "And what have you told them?"

_That's not fair! _her mind screamed, but this was Bowser; she should have expected as much. She found it was easy not to open her mouth: what would she say anyway? She was too far gone to break her pattern now.

"You won't tell me?" Bowser asked.

She shook her head in answer and the king sighed.

This time she screamed when he shoved that blade deep into the left plane of her back. This time, he didn't commit the act so cleanly. He let the knife linger inside her and pressed her tightly against him.

In her ear he growled, "Are you _sure_?"

She just continued to scream because this pain was too much, she could see tiny stars of light in the edges of her vision. Bowser made it worse when he gave the blade a slow twist, then she drove herself hoarse with how loud and how long she screamed. It was an evil mercy of his when he ripped it out of her and let her collapse to the ground.

Daisy was sobbing aloud, trying to curl in on herself on that grimy floor. She writhed and twisted and tried to do anything to cut off that relentless deluge of nerve-shattering agony. And he couldn't just leave her to wallow in her misery, no, Bowser used her hair once again to hoist her back up and into his cruel embrace once more. He didn't seem to mind that her bloody back was sullying his own clothes as he settled the blade at her stomach this time.

"For a little mute girl," He murmured seductively into her ear, "You do make such beautiful noises."

Daisy shuddered with the force of those sobs wracking her body. Her legs were knocking together and her teeth chattered. Her face was burning and so were her wet, blurred-up eyes. Now her head was throbbing and her throat felt as if she'd eaten glass.

"Who are you?" Bowser asked calmly.

Daisy cried desperately, "Please!"

"So you _do _speak!" The king laughed.

And then he stabbed her, in her stomach again.

She shrieked terribly and doubled over, but Bowser yanked her back upwards by her hair, not even allowing her to hurt.

"P-Please!" She wailed.

"What are you begging me for, precious?" Bowser crooned.

"Please s-s-stop," she breathed, "S-stop it, please!"

The king obliged her this time and dropped her. Daisy banged her knees terribly hard, not that it registered at the moment, not with her back and stomach bleeding profusely. She just wanted to die, to stop hurting and shaking and crying and just die already. It was too much, the pain was killing her, it was too, too, too, too much for her.

And then it wasn't.

She didn't know when they'd come over, but Grimus and Rhimes were both healing her at the same time and damn if it didn't make her moan aloud like a woman possessed in the throes of a most powerful orgasm. Perhaps if her brain weren't swimming in a mix of fried nerves and adrenal juices, she might have been ashamed of the way her legs parted widely, quivering from the pleasurable magic that coursed through them. She might have been mortified by the way her back arched up off the ground and her hands clawed at the magicians' robes hungrily; hungry for what? More of their sinful magic that knocked her eyes straight into the back of her head and forced her mouth wide open to yield to breathless pants.

It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once for her body to experience crippling pain one moment and uncontrollable pleasure the next.

By the time it was over and she'd been healed, Daisy was numb. She felt empty lying there on her side, all bloody but mended. She brought her knees slowly up to her chest and stared off with her eyes glazed and her body and mind in a state of blissful nothingness.

Of course it didn't last.

Bowser came over and yanked the girl's bruised arm, and she screamed abruptly in horror.

_I can't do it again! I can't, _she thought frantically, _the torture, I can't do it again, not again, please not again. _

She kicked and fought at the king like a wild woman, screaming and pleading with him for all she was worth.

"Don't!" She shouted, "Please don't!"

Bowser shook her by the shoulders and rattled her teeth in her mouth. That only made her cry harder.

"Stop it!" He demanded, "You want this to end? Give me the answers I want and I promise it will."

"I...I..." Her words stuck in the back of her dry throat like a cracker in a pot of molasses.

"I, I, I, _what_?" He barked callously.

"I can't," She weeped feebly.

Bowser scoffed, "Oh you can't?"

She shook her head weakly.

"Okay." He told her.

Then he was dragging her again. Since she'd already cracked, Daisy didn't bother holding in her sobs as her arm was hopelessly screwed over once more. Bowser and his court had yanked and gripped and grabbed on her right forearm so much she feared it'd never fully recover. He let go and only offered her temporary relief when he arrived at the metal bed she'd started at. That was when he took her by the waist and hoisted her up onto the cold metal. He put himself between her legs before she could shut them and pulled out that knife.

She screamed so fast and so loud that he had to slap her to get her to stop.

Daisy hated that thing and brought her knees up, as well as her hands, to protect herself. Bowser smacked her hands away and slammed her thighs back onto the hard bed.

"No, precious; none of that," he reprimanded.

He then took the knife and jammed it deep into the wall above her head. From his magicians he asked for rope, and once he got it, he tied her wrists together. He took her bound hands and hooked them onto the hilt of the knife. Daisy pressed her back into the dirty wall so as to escape the presence of the malevolent king. Her mind was becoming lucid, and so she became more aware of her vulnerable position.

With her legs forced apart and her hands above her head, she was virtually at his mercy and now she really couldn't do a thing to help herself.

"Clean her up." The king ordered of his magicians.

It was Rhimes who muttered, "Scourgify"

And then she was even more vulnerable, because now she didn't have that layer of filth to hide behind. The blood had vanished from her gown, which was now crisp and bright white again. Her skin was all spotless and smooth and her face held no streaks of tears. Not to mention her hair; light and free of the oiliness that held it down once before it was, hanging on either side of her worried face. She was clean and she was healed; it was as if her torture session had never happened, and that did a number on her psyche. She didn't want to forget what she'd gone through, she didn't want it there to be no trace of her pain.

"Since you insist on being so defiant," Bowser began to say, "I think I'll take a different approach."

Daisy left her former thoughts and pondered his words; she was confused again and that always ended badly for her. Bowser put his hands over her knees then. They felt heavy and hot and chafed against her bare skin.

"In the rare event," He murmured silkily, "That pain and coercion prove to be...ineffective means of getting what I want."

The king rubbed his thumbs over her knees. "I tend to resort to other methods of persuasion."

Now his hands slid up under her gown, over the insides of her thighs, all while he brushed his lips over her soft, pliant ones. It was then that something clicked in Daisy's mind, like really made sense right then. She realized what he was getting at and she thought about crying again.

_Could this night get any worse, _she wondered woefully, _why is this happening to me? I wasn't supposed to get caught! _

Bowser was trying to kiss her. He gave that up, though, when she kept moving her head. He instead started kissing her jaw, up the side of her face, on her temple. Little sensual kisses she expected from a practiced lover, not a lewd predator trying to get his way.

"I want answers," He whispered, "You should know I'll do whatever it takes to get them."

Daisy started to squirm away from him so he gripped her thighs and scooted her towards himself. She tried to push her hands against his chest but her hands were bound. All she accomplished was chafing her wrists against the rope, so she stopped in that line of action.

"I am a married man," Bowser continued, "But I'll make...certain _sacrifices_ if the situation calls for it."

He had to have been putting heat behind his fingertips because she could feel them burning away at her legs, making her hot and weak and ashamed. Not only that, but he started to nip at her earlobe and she nearly lost all sense of self right there.

"And if you're unwilling," He smirked against her jaw, "Well. I've heard they can have traumatic effects on the mind and body, these things." _  
_

He forced a kiss on her then and hooked his index fingers on either side of the waistband of her underwear, as if for emphasis. Now Daisy really did start to cry.

"Please don't do this," She pleaded clearly.

Bowser removed his fingers but bit down gently on her neck, sucking at the flesh there and rubbing his tongue over the mild wound.

"I'll only go as far as you let me." He reminded her, "Give me what I want and I'll leave you alone."

Daisy brought her legs up and intended to close them in front of the king, but he was having none of it. He slammed them down once more pulled her so that there was no space between his lower body and hers. She gagged violently.

"Don't touch me," She begged of him futilely.

"Oh, but don't you like it?" He smirked.

The royal started placing open-mouthed kisses up her bruised arm. He nibbled at her elbow and dragged his tongue over that large mark that was forming. She was starting to feel even dirtier than before, what with him putting his mouth and hands over every inch of her body like she was his.

"Don't you like it?" He asked again.

She shook her head because it was then that she remembered the serum and how it would force her to speak the truth. She knew that even she didn't know the answer to that question and wouldn't risk giving the king the satisfaction of knowing just how she felt about his attentions.

"Then if that's the case," Bowser replied, "Tell me who you are."

"No." She ground out.

Bowser stopped pecking at her arm and narrowed his eyes.

"No?" He repeated.

"No." She reiterated. "Y-you can make me tell the truth, but you can't make me talk."

Bowser's eyes darkened and he raked his hands brutally up her sides, letting his fingers ghost over her breasts on the way up. He cupped her face and kissed her in an evil sort of way, all hard and hurtful and dominant. She kept her mouth steadfastly closed but could feel his tongue swiping back and forth over her pursed lips like a beast of an appendage pacing angrily in the cage that was his mouth. He pulled back showed her those jade eyes, clouded over with a feral kind of lust that made her shiver.

With a smirk he told her, "I can make you do whatever I want, you naive girl. It won't be long before you find that out for yourself.

* * *

Mario wouldn't be going out for a fight for about a week, two at least. He was in no shape to. But he could be awfully stubborn, and I'd never been his mother, so it was up to him whether he'd let his body heal or not. All I could do was advise him to take it easy, to which he'd scoffed and said, 'not possible'. So now he and I and Ludwig were in the war room, recuperating and plotting out where to go from here.

"Thanks again," Mario told Ludwig, "I was supposed to have help, but it never came though."

I wish he would stop thanking the pompous enforcer already. It wasn't as if Ludwig needed it, he was doing what he did for his own selfish reasons and he already had too huge an ego. I was curious though, because my brother mentioned he was supposed to have help; in the form of who?

"Don't thank me," Ludwig told Mario curtly, "I wasn't doing it for you."

_See what I mean, _I thought.

"I know, but still." Mario said, "You helped me out all the same."

"Whatever." Ludwig rolled his eyes. "As of right now, Bowser's retreated twice so you know his pride is pretty much shot to Hell."

I smirked, _as it should be. _

"He'll come at you intending to massacre everyone in sight and you really won't stand a chance," Ludwig continued, "not with my help, or anyone else's."

Mario and I shared a look.

"But that's only if you let him." Ludwig added. "I don't know about you two, but I actually want to _end_ this war, and I want to win it."

"So what do we do?" I snapped.

Ludwig shrugged, "Make a move before he does. Knock him off his game. Do something to completely throw him off to the point where attacking you is the last thing on his mind."

"Is that even possible?" Mario doubted.

"Very much so," Ludwig assured him, "Just take back the princess."

"Peach?"

"Peach."

"_My_ Peach?"

"The one and only."

I sighed, "You say that like it's easy."

"It is." He replied.

"Then why is she still there?"

"There weren't any opportune times to get her out of there." he explained, "Until now."

"So how do we go about this?" My brother asked.

"Getting her out is the simple part," Ludwig said, "Just get in there and do it. It's the repercussions you need to worry about."

"What do you mean?" Mario asked.

Ludwig said, "Taking Peach is gonna' drive the bastard over the edge."

"Will it now?" Mario bit out sardonically.

"Luigi and I will rescue her," Ludwig stated, "We'll be in and out. Then we can move from there."

"What about Daisy?" I asked. "If we get Peach, we can get her too, right?"

"We'll see." Ludwig answered flatly, evasively.

_Yeah right, we'll see alright; see me getting her out of there. I won't leave without Daisy, it made no sense and it wasn't fair to her. If this mission was about rescuing Peach and we would be doing just that, there was no feasible reason as to why we had to leave her behind. _

"You're hiding something." I whispered to Ludwig so that Mario wouldn't hear.

Ludwig tilted his head, "Am I now?"

"What are you not telling me?" I pressed.

"If I were hiding something, as you insist, why would I bother telling you about it? What would be the point in hiding it, this hypothetical thing, in the first place?"

I suppose he thought he'd won, but all this told me was that he did, indeed, have something he was holding back. It had better not involve Daisy being hurt or in trouble, because if that was the case that would just be the last straw. I wouldn't be able to let that go.

* * *

**A/N: Another quick chapter, hope you enjoyed reading it! If not, sorry! I warned you it would not be pretty. Bowser is getting angry with his failings both in battle and with Peach, since he hasn't made a move on her like he wants to. That's why he seems to be taking his frustrations out on Daisy. **

**Leave your review, folks, and tell me what liked or thought about it please, I appreciate your feedback. **

**And as for the writing errors you point out to me; don't worry, I'm just writing the story now, I'll go back once it's done and fix everything based on your reviews so thank you and until next time! **

**~DymondGold~**


	40. Chapter 40

**You'd think, since school is winding down, professors would lay off on the work but no: it's the opposite. So thank my lovely teachers for this late, late chapter, heh. **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty**

* * *

Ludwig was right; it wasn't that hard to get inside the palace. We had our tete a tete earlier in Mario's war room and were now, hours later, standing outside the Dark King's palace. Of course he couldn't be here, my brother, but he wanted to. This was the day we brought Peach home. I hope he could take solace in knowing that after today, he'd be able to see her all he wants.

_And I'll have Daisy back, too, and we can all work together to bring this war to a close. _

"Stay here."

"Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back."

I didn't want to be left alone out here in the ominous Badlands, and in front of the palace where any guard or patrol could see me. But the enforcer was already taking off towards the side of the building. He and I still weren't on speaking terms, as much as the situation would allow, that is; for the sake of the mission I _had _to communicate with him, but not more than was minimally necessary. In a short while, he came back, so I assumed he'd gone to scout out the area or something. Or maybe he went to find Peach first. Either way it hadn't taken him long.

Ludwig put his hand on my shoulder and I stiffened. There was no sweet girl like Daisy who could act as a buffer between the two of us as we teleported, so direct contact was inevitable. When we appeared within the castle, the first thing I noticed was that it was dark; darker than outside.

"Who's there?"

The timid voice belonged to a slim woman moving to turn on the lights. She strode across the bedroom in a flurry and when the bright flames in the candle chandelier alighted, I had to blink and let my eyes adjust.

_This room's huge, _I noticed, _grand and lavish; it must be **his**,_ I knew.

"Luigi?"

Peach was there, by the closed door, staring hesitantly at me and Ludwig. I could understand her not recognizing me totally. I had on a sleeveless black shirt and matching pants and boots so I looked like one of Sarasaland's new recruits. In addition to that, I knew my hair had gotten longer and I had gained a bit of muscle. Not to brag, but being under the guise of Ludwig's homeless ward who constantly worked in the stables to earn his keep did have its physical perks.

"Yeah, it's me." I murmured tiredly.

She had tears in her eyes as she flew across the room and into my arms. The woman buried her head in my chest and clung to me like a newborn kitten to its mother. I held her and stroked her back and kissed the top of her blonde head. She was shaking in my arms. I thought it was kind of crazy how, even though she's older than me, she was relying on me to be the strong one. What had she been through?

"Oh, Luigi," She sniffed, "I'm so happy to see you! You have no idea."

I smiled gently down at her and said, "I understand. We all missed you, Peach."

Suddenly she stared up at me with those clear, sky-blue doe eyes and cried. Her face crumpled and she looked absolutely crestfallen.

_"_What's the matter?" I frowned in concern.

She told me, "You have to leave before he comes back."

"Bowser?"

She nodded.

I cupped her cheek and asked, "He hasn't hurt you, has he? Did he hit your or anything?"

Peach said, "No, nothing too bad. He isn't around me much anymore, not since he-"

"She's right, we've got to get out of here."

I didn't know why, but the way Ludwig suddenly interjected like that made me feel like something wasn't right. But he did have a point. We could worry about how hurt Peach was as soon as we got her out of here.

"Okay," I stated, "But we're taking you with us."

"What do you mean?" Peach questioned.

"I mean we're bringing you home." I explained softly.

"Home?" She parroted, then smiled and wrapped her arms around me once more.

I squeezed her tightly and marveled at how intact she seemed to be. Surely I thought Bowser would have taken his frustration at losing to my brother so much out on her but by the looks of it, that wasn't the case. I ushered Peach over to Ludwig.

That's when she asked, "How are we going to get out of here? Bowser will see us, surely!"

"Where is he?" I inquired.

She said, "From what I heard, down in the dungeons tormenting one of the servants."

"Let's go." Ludwig demanded.

I glanced at him and observed the young man; why was he so adamant that we leave right now? What was he hiding? And what was Peach talking about?

"A girl," Peach spoke, "She had some tie to the Mushroom Kingdom."

_Oh God, no. Please tell me she doesn't mean..._

"Who is this girl?" I asked hurriedly, "What does she look like? What's her name?"

In the hall I could hear something or someone approaching. I knew we didn't have much time but I had to know. Another glance at Ludwig let me know that whatever was unfolding couldn't be good. I turned on Peach, who was near the enforcer.

"She was a servant, she fixed the king's morning meal," Peach said, "I don't remember her name. She was small, with blonde hair and she was a mute."

"Daisy!" I exclaimed.

I glared at Ludwig and asked, "What's going on? Where is she?"

It was Peach who spoke; maybe she thought I was talking to her. She wrung her hands nervously at my heightened anger and told me what I didn't want to hear.

"The servant girl was taken a few days ago, before the recent battle." She claimed, "She's been in the dungeons ever since."

I balled my fists at my sides and was glad that Peach had taken the effort to step aside. She glanced between me and Ludwig, who I strode towards frantically.

"He has her! He has Daisy!" I cried, then added, "We have to get down there and..."

Ludwig's expression brought light to a whole new revolution, one that made my heart stutter in its accelerated rhythm. He gazed at me with this telling impassivity and I felt myself be consumed by this all-encompassing fury.

"You _knew_?!" I hissed, "He took her and _you_ **_knew_**?!"

Ludwig remained silent.

I felt like I'd gotten punched in the stomach. This was way worse than any sort of pain I'd ever felt, knowing that the girl I loved more than anything in the world was down there, somewhere in the bowels of this evil place, being subjected to God only knows what kind of horrors; and what's worse, is that the man I'd stupidly decided to trust had known as much, and had not said a word. He'd led me to believe that she was okay, that she wasn't in danger.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I seethed. "Why didn't you let me know she'd gotten caught?"

"For what?" Ludwig finally responded. "Why _should _I have told you?"

His voice was quiet but as sharp as that steel-trap of a mind of his. He set his eyes into slants as he regarded me like one would a child throwing a tantrum. I schooled my features with no small amount of difficulty and steadied my voice.

"Because she's my girlfriend." I replied tightly.

Not just that, either: Daisy was my baby, my love, my soul and my heart. She was everything I wanted and didn't know I needed in a companion. The girl was perfection in the flesh, the queen of a woman who I wanted to spend seven lifetimes with and more.

_She's my all, _I knew, _but he'll never understand that. _

"You would've lost your head and jeopardized the mission," Ludwig explained, "You would've gone after her without a second thought and ruined all my hard work."

"_Your _hard work?" I laughed without mirth.

Ludwig said tersely, "Everything I've worked for would have been destroyed; I wasn't going to let that happen."

"Is this mission, or your own success, all you care about?" I asked incredulously.

"Maybe you have a problem staying focused on the big picture, but not me." Ludwig declared tonelessly.

"Well you and your mission can both go to Hell." I told him.

I'd heard enough. I didn't know what the hell he was talking about but I was through with him. I was through with his lying and deceitfulness. I was through putting up with his arrogance and acerbic personality. This was the only thing I just could not take. I shook my head and made up my mind. It was time I started doing what I thought was best, and not what he insisted. I really should have relied on my own instincts a long time ago, maybe then my angel wouldn't be in this situation.

"You're only proving me right." Ludwig had the nerve to call out to me as I left.

I turned to him and watched him hold Peach. He was going to get her out of here. Good. It wouldn't do for her to suffer as well. I had nothing else to say to the enforcer and if I never saw him again, it'd be too soon and too good.

I ran out of the bedroom then, intent on finding Daisy. It wasn't too long before I got to the end of the corridor and took a right. That was where I ran into the Dark King himself. It wasn't fear or panic that emanated from my mind and body, it was hateful rage. That was why I didn't care that he was the taller and more muscular of us two, gifted with abilities that far outshone my own. All that ran through my mind was Daisy, hurt and broken thanks to him. My mind supplied horrid, graphic bits of footage of her torture and I couldn't take it.

I swung at him.

It was on my third successful hit that I got knocked back on my ass. The king had been punched in both jaws and in his mouth before he thought to backhand me. Before I could get at him again, two Koopas were there, tugging on my arms and holding me back. Bowser glared at me and rotated his jaw, completely confused and thoroughly incensed. He had seemed to come from a place downstairs, probably the dungeons. He could see that I had just come from his bedroom. Then a stricken look crossed his face and he darted to his room.

"Where is she?!" He roared from within his chambers. "Where is she?!"

I stopped struggling with my guards and smirked. Peach was gone. The asshole had done something right. Because of this, Bowser came storming out and grabbed me by the front of my shirt. He looked mad enough to spit in my face as he glowered down at me.

"What. Did you do?" He fumed.

"Nothing much." I replied.

"Where is she?" He shouted, "Where is my woman?"

"Where's Daisy?" I retorted, unfazed.

He made a face of perplexment that was almost comical, had I not been so angrily upset about my girl. She was here, somewhere, and I wasn't leaving without her. Bowser shook me hard.

"You little _**shit**_! How'd you get in here?" He barked.

"Through the front door." I lied.

Maybe it was because I obviously wasn't intimidated, or maybe it was because of the nature of my response (having entered through the supposedly fortified front door), but Bowser got that stupefied look on his face once more. He frowned deeply and let go of my shirt. The black fabric was all wrinkled and stretched out.

"Arrest him," Bowser commanded, "And secure the castle; initiate total lock-down mode."

"But my liege," One of the Koopas protested.

"I said lock this motherfucker down!" The king growled. "Nobody gets _in _or _out_!"

The Koopas that held me both nodded resignedly, having nothing to say that would get through to their enraged king. I could understand wholly why Bowser was seeing red; not only had his impenetrable fortress been breached, but his 'woman' had been taken right from under his nose. I smirked; I knew a maddening person when I saw one, and Bowser was starting to lose it.

* * *

Two more days she had to endure. Two days after her first torture session, the king had come back to harass her. The last day he was the angriest, and had left bruises all over her arms and legs. He had his magicians to heal her, though; a kindness she had learned was not nearly such so much as it was the king making space on her body to do more damage. Then he'd left her. She hadn't eaten in the days she'd been harassed, nor had she had a meal in the days that followed, however many those were. She had lost track because she slept most of the time, curled up on her metal makeshift bed.

There was no relief from the aftermath of her abuse, even though her breaks and tears had been mended. And with her empty stomach kissing her back and her head aching so bad she couldn't see straight, she didn't have any impetus to do much more than slumber anyway. Her dreams consisted of myriads of flowing blood and piercing knives that burned like hot cinders once plunged within her. She got no respite and that wore heavily on her psyche as well, sucked the last bit of resolve from her and left the girl a will-less, lethargic mess.

When the door at the top of the stairs creaked open, she barely even noticed. Nor did she register in her head the sound of heavy footsteps getting closer to the cell. Were it the king, she would have jerked up from her tuckered position on the bed; her body was triggered like a hot-wire to respond to his presence like some self-preservative defense instinct. It wasn't the king, though, who entered her cell, so her bleary eyes remained hooded as they approached.

Into their arms she was brought and carried from her meager dwelling towards the entrance. The bright light at the top of the stairs nearly blinded her, and without any qualms she turned and buried her face into the foreign person's tunic. It smelled good, like outside air and trees. She surprised herself at having recalled what those things even smelled like at the moment. The person had to be male, that hard plain of a chest did nothing for her throbbing head.

Her body was jostled as this man fumbled with the handle of a door. Once he'd gotten it turned, he used his hip to make a way for himself and his hostage. He brought the girl to the bed, where he deposited her carefully before trudging off to another part of the room. Daisy immediately sensed she was in a bed; she could see the sea of silk sheets and could feel the soft mattress yielding beneath her ragged form. Through the swarthy allegorical film that clouded her senses, she could hear what sounded like rushing water; that was just before she began to drift off.

In this hazy state Daisy was again perturbed. She felt the mystery man lift her again into his arms and carry her into a much warmer room and the girl stirred. This man set her down on something hard and cold. Except for a mild shiver and the lolling back of her head, she didn't really lucidly react. The man began to strip her. Perhaps, if she had more fight in her or if she were more alert or if it didn't feel like she had the strength of a limp noodle, Daisy may have protested against this violation. As it was, she only moaned quietly and put up a feeble set of loosely clenched fists in front of herself. The man was incredibly tender in all that he did, including guiding her weak hands back down by her sides.

Without anything left to remove, Daisy let her eyes flutter shut and was glad for the comfort of the man's tunic to rest her head against. She knew somewhere in her mind that she should be much more concerned right then but she couldn't bring herself to care about anything.

Very slowly the man eased her into a mass of warmness that surrounded and soothed her sore, aching, tired body. What he did in the next instant was a stark contrast to his earlier conscientiousness of her being nearly asleep.

Spluttering and coughing, Daisy blinked profusely against the drops of water still running down her face. She used her wet hands to push apart the weighty curtain of dark hair that hung before her eyes. Having been doused with cold water, the girl shivered and glanced around, now wide-awake and increasingly aware of her situation as the seconds prolonged.

_Where am I? _

_What's going on?_

_How did I get here? _

The girl had but to glance down at herself for a furious blush to flourish across her cheeks.

_...Why am I **naked**?_

Her eyes darted over to the man kneeling over the side of the tub with his fingers closed around the edges of a small bucket. He was the one to have doused her with the cold water; why? What was he doing there, with his sleeves pushed up to his pale elbows?

"What are you doing?" She decided to ask aloud.

The man made an awkward sort of coughing noise before lowering the bucket in his hands to the water, where it bobbed innocuously along the surface of the crystal-clear depths.

"Forgive me," He said in reference to splashing her, "I had to awaken you fully in order to properly ah, go about my duties."

Daisy again realized that she was in a bathtub, _naked _in a bathtub, with a strange man who was-wait...was that a gold band around his middle finger?

_He's married, _she thought in a horrified sort of way, _as if this wasn't bad enough. _

"What duties?"she asked, befuddled.

"I apologize for any discomfort you may be ah, experiencing." The man spoke, "But I was ordered by the king himself to bathe you."

"Why?" Was her immediate response.

He said, "I did not ask him why."

"Okay," She murmured. "Well. I'm awake now. So can you uh. Let me um, do this by myself?"

By the expression that took over his mustached face, she felt as if her request had been a favor to him. The man nodded quickly and stood.

"I trust you can also dress yourself?" He asked.

She smiled weakly and replied, "That depends; are there any clothes for me? Besides the ones I had on?"

"Of course," He assured her. "They're in the vanity drawers just outside this room here. And you'll find amenities with which to arrange your hair as well."

Now that he'd been relieved of his most embarrassing 'duty' of bathing her, he seemed much more at ease. He told her where she would find the towels for her body and hair and without further ado, had seen himself out. Daisy was still out of sorts.

"He's letting me go?" She wondered to herself. "Why?"

_Why is he letting me take a bath and all this just to go back down to that nasty cell? _

"Unless I'm not going back to that cell..." she mused.

_But if I'm not going back, why? What is he up to, bringing me here? Wait, where is here? _

She took the largeness of the bathroom into account and allowed her body to go through the natural, stunned reaction of finding out the obvious answer:

_I'm in **his **room...but again, why? What is he trying to do? Is this a test or something? Why is he letting me get clean and settled in his bedroom? Oh wait! Where's Peach?! Is she gone? Did Ludwig rescue her? So is this mission over, then? What in the world is going on?! _

Daisy bit her bottom lip and inhaled a nose full of steamy air before calming herself. No, she had no clue what had happened in the days she was incarcerated, no she didn't know what would happen to her, but she did know one thing: she'd make the best of it. She had to, or else she'd lose her mind. She'd been tortured and threatened with death and rape, she'd been beaten and starved and all in a matter of days. But she hadn't, and refused to be, broken.

_I will admit, in light of this new turn of events, _she thought, _I am kind of...I feel sort of lost. What am I supposed to do now? Peach is gone, so what should I do? If Ludwig did take Peach, why didn't he take me, too? I don't understand. _

Daisy yawned.

She exhausted the rest of her energy into trying to help her body along in the healing process by getting clean and warm. After she scrubbed her skin until it reddened and dried herself off, she had the chore of picking out something to wear. It wasn't the fact that there were so many clothes to choose from, it was just the fact that all the clothes were clearly tailored for someone a bit slimmer in the chest area; that was the true problem. The girl ended up wearing two undershirts, having not found a bra that would fit, and pulled a large black shirt from the bottom drawer. It was short-sleeved and made of something akin to those garments Luigi wore. Even though the thing dwarfed her, coming down to the bottom edge of her thighs, she felt comforted by how it reminded her of him.

_How long has it been since I've seen him? A week? A month? _

"Too long," She'd spoken in answer for herself.

With him on her mind she'd done her hair, dried it and ran a brush through it. It didn't take a genius to know the wooden, pink thing belonged to Peach, or it used to.

_She must have left in a rush to have forgotten it, _Daisy thought.

Free of the dirt and grime and soot that had made a home of her skin, Daisy did feel a bit better. And that incessant itch was gone from her scalp as well. Now she felt a little like herself again. In the mirror, she noticed that she looked like herself again, as well. A bit on the small side, considering what she was wearing, but still like herself nonetheless.

Daisy moved over to the bed and sat on the edge, then decided to take a pillow and the top comforter and make a space for herself on the floor; she didn't want to think about what might have happened in that bed. And she also didn't want to give the Dark King any sort of encouragement: were he to pop in and see her lying barely clothed in _his_ bed...she shuddered at the scenario and cocooned herself up in the comforter.

The girl got up again, having laid on the carpeted floor for a moment, and it was for three reasons; one, to get a pair of pair of pants, two, to go to the bathroom, and three, to find a weapon. She did understand that the list was not ordered in terms of priority.

She first went to relieve herself, seeing as it was the most pressing issue. She had refused to do this down in the dungeons, and it wasn't as if she'd been allowed a bathroom break. The times where it had gotten unbearable, she'd just had to squat on one of her heels until the 'pushed' sensation passed. Other times, she just couldn't think about it. Now she felt a tremendous amount of relief, and was surprised at having held out so long.

After that she went to find some pants. The girl rummaged through the vanity drawer and couldn't find anything to cover her legs; anything _decent _that was. There were plenty of scandalous thigh-highs, lace and sheer, and the shorts were all inappropriately living up to their namesake. The only alternative was to wear a pair of the king's pants, and that she wouldn't do.

_It's bad enough this is probably his shirt, _she thought with a good amount of distaste.

Before slamming the drawer shut, she pulled out a pair of little black silk shorts that she eased into with a frown.

They're not much, but they'll do, was her last thought on the matter.

Daisy looked around the room and tried to think of where any item resembling a weapon would be.

_Maybe in that drawer beside his bed? _

She strode over to the nightstand and pulled open the single drawer.

_Bingo! _

The girl knew that the Dark King's arrogance would eventually be the death of him. She knew, too, that if she were holding a prisoner in the cells and treating them worse than horse manure, that they would want to retaliate. She also knew that if she did something so crazy as to move them into her bedroom, they would probably do what she'd just done and plot to kill her. It would've behooved the prideful king, then, to have moved the weapons from this obvious place to somewhere else.

But lucky for her, he didn't.

Lucky for her, there was a dagger in that drawer. Along with a few other enigmatic items, like a little pellet of metal, a red translucent container made of...plastic? It held some kind of liquid inside and had a springy metal switch atop it. The other thing was a mix of barbed wire and rope, and it creeped her out so she shut the door.

Daisy then walked quickly over to the door where there was a simple knob of a mechanism to adjust the lights. Once she snuffed them out, she hurried over to the pallet she'd made on the floor and slid the plain gold-hilted knife under the pillow. At last she readied herself to sleep. The dull ache of her battering was beginning to make itself known and she wanted to be knocked out for that.

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**A/N: I know, I keep doing it with the short chapters, sorry. School is almost over, and I'll have a break until fall so yeah! I will do my best to keep updating, so long as you guys keep reviewing, too! **

**How did you like this chapter? As per usual, tell me if you thought it was good, bad, in the middle, etc. Or it you saw any grammar mistakes; I know they're there, lol. **

**Stay tuned, there's still more to come! Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	41. Chapter 41

**Based on the reviews, I seemed to have lost everybody on the 'stomach kissing her back' line, so I'll explain: **

**When I get very, _very_ hungry, it feels like my stomach is sunken in to the point that its back against my spine. I tried to be creative and say it 'kisses the spine', but since I wrote 'back' instead of 'spine', I guess it confused everyone.**

**Sorry!**

**I will edit it out for clarity's sake, hehe. Thanks for the reviews, everybody, otherwise I wouldn't have known :) And as always...**

**Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

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**Chapter Forty-One **

* * *

In the middle of the night, or in the early hours of the morning, Daisy had awoken. She couldn't blame herself for her restlessness, seeing as she was still so anxious about what was going on. So instead of lying there on the surprisingly comfortable carpeted floor, staring at the wall and drifting in and out of a semi-consciousness that could hardly pass for sleep, she got up. She would use this time wisely, because she knew it was only a matter of time before Bowser came for her.

_This **is** his room, after all, _she reasoned.

The girl sat up and folded her legs in the dimly-lit room, letting the thick silk comforter slide from her head to her shoulders on the way. She shivered and wrapped the material around herself more tightly, pursing her lips and gaining her bearings.

_I don't feel as bad, _she noted, _not after a little rest on something softer than cold metal and not to mention a bath. I guess sleep and clean clothes go a long way. _

As a clump of her long hair fell into her eye, she lazily pushed it back behind her ear. The bottle of soap she used made her locks reek of vanilla, a scent she used to be fond of, but right now made her sick with hunger. She wanted to eat. How long had it been since-

"No," she muttered aloud, "There's no food around, so there's no use lingering on that subject."

It would only hurt her stomach and weaken her, and she'd need her strength if she wanted to get herself out of this situation.

"So how am I gonna' do that?" She whispered.

From under the giant pillow Daisy pulled the dagger she'd taken from the nightstand drawer. She turned the golden-hilted, sheathed thing over in her pale hands and narrowed her eyes.

_If Peach really is gone and Ludwig didn't feel it necessary to come and get me out of here, then it really is up to me to save myself. _

She snorted delicately, thinking, _it wouldn't be the first time something like this was required of me. I think, being in his room, puts me in the prime position to do some damage. And since I'm the only one on our side that's here, I really have nothing to lose. _

"It all depends on how far I'm willing to go." She spoke.

Again she stared down at the blade.

_Bowser did treacherous things to me down in that cell, and I'm sure he's done worse to a lot of other people and creatures; innocent ones, at that. It's high-time he had a taste of his own medicine. _

Then she crafted her plan.

Daisy stood on wobbly feet and held her arms out to steady herself. The dizziness passed and in its place a giddy sort of excitement took over. She had to let it manifest itself in the form of a small smirk, an expression she didn't often don but this was a period of firsts, as she'd found out the hard way in the dungeons.

"Okay," She said, crossing her arms, "what to do?"

In hopes of inspiration, she stood in front of the vanity and began to pat her hand around atop its wooden surface. It was so dark, she couldn't see. A part of her was afraid to turn on the lights, but she banished that fear: she'd need to see, for one, and two, she couldn't be afraid of him. Fear made her weak, and she was already physically crippled with her dull pains and hunger so she didn't need to tack any mental incapacities on as well.

After she turned on the lights, she surveyed the room as a scavenger would, eager for any and everything that could be used as an asset in her impending confrontation with the king. There was the mess of a pallet at the foot of the bed, there was the stripped bed itself, and of course the vanity and closet and bathroom.

_Maybe there's more weapons in the other nightstand, _she mused.

Upon searching it she was dismayed; this one obviously belonged to Peach, for the only thing within it was a bottle of fancy perfume and some makeup items. She shut the drawer in a disconsolate way but didn't let that stop her. The girl moved from there to the closet, and nearly gasped at how huge it was. Almost, but not quite, because even though it was way bigger than the one she had back in Sarasaland, she was used to Bowser grandiose complex by now. She could feel herself sweating more, could feel her stomach contracting weirdly from the starving pains and knew she would have to lie back down again soon.

"I need to hurry up, then."

Nothing in the closet seemed useful, unless she planned on stabbing him with one of those high-heels.

_I'll save that as a last resort, _she thought wryly.

From the hangers she tugged a plain fabric scarf free. She didn't know what she'd do with it, but she knew it would come in handy. She wrapped the soft thing around her middle, under the large shirt, like belt. Another shock had come when she found out the shoes fit her.

_So the Princess and I have something in common, physically, after all, _she smiled softly.

Simple black heels she pushed her bare feet into, and then winced; a tremor of pain had shot up her back uncomfortably. It was time to go back to her pallet, her body was inconsiderately letting her know as much. But there was one more thing she had to do.

Daisy closed the closet door behind her and walked over to Bowser's nightstand, then pulled the thing open. She was careful in picking up the short strand of barbed-wire and rope combination. When she shut the drawer and made it back to her pallet, she was getting dizzy. Through her inner turmoil, she forced herself to finish her task: again she brought out the gold dagger and unsheathed it in her lap. The wiry rope pricked at her fingers as she wrapped it around the blade, but she ignored that pain, too.

_This should really make it hurt, _she thought vindictively. _How do you stab someone, twist the knife around, and set the blade on fire within them? _

"The same way I'll stab him and make sure he feels each of these needles." She spat in a whisper.

The girl blinked at that dark side of herself speaking through her usual kind nature. She knew, however, that she'd been provoked to this, and felt no shame at what she was going to do. Her only regret was that she wished she had more strength at the moment. Until she got at least some bread and water in her, though, she'd have to work with this sub-par body.

With those heels on her feet, still, she curled up in her pallet and tucked the knife under the pillow once more. Unfortunately, with the wire around it, it wouldn't fit anymore. But that was okay, so long as she knew where it was. The girl decided to lie down and rest, but not go to sleep; she wanted to be ready when the king came for her, wide awake and without risk of being caught by surprise.

* * *

"You wanna' tell me how you got in here?"

I don't know what it was with Bowser, maybe he had it in his head that he scared everyone and that the fear would get him anything he wanted; not me. There was a time, I'd admit, where I was afraid of him, a long time ago back when I was a bit younger and wimpier. Not a wimp, just wimpier. However, that time was gone and for one reason only:

He had Daisy.

When those Koopas brought me down into the dungeons, I'd called out for her. She didn't answer, so I didn't know if that meant she wasn't down here, or that she was too hurt to answer me, or that she was unconscious or what. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Somewhere in this palace, maybe not in the dungeons, she was being held against her will and possibly being tortured.

And at the end of the day, I was to blame.

I had taken her along with me in the first place and opened the door to this gruesome twist of fate. It was my fault, I believed. If only I hadn't put all my trust into the-bastard-that-shan't-be-named, perhaps then Daisy wouldn't be trapped here. But remaining in the 'here and now' was what I had to do, I didn't have time to speculate over what I _should _have done.

Right now, only hours after I arrived, I was here. Sitting on the metal bed hanging on the wall with my head in my hands. I was trying not to think of Daisy, but instead, of how to get us both out of here and that was a frustrating task.

So far I had nothing.

And then, a few seconds ago, the king had graced me with his awful presence. He was still here, leaning against the bars across from me. He looked so mad, but I didn't give a care because so was I.

"Well?" He prompted.

"Well _what?_" I retorted.

A muscle in his jaw twitched before he said, "I asked you a question."

"Which was?"

"How the hell did you get into my palace?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

Now it was the corner of his eye that spasmed as he clenched his jaw into a tight scowl. I really didn't care, at this point. If he hauled off and hit me, let him; I was itching for a fight anyway. And if there was anything besides getting Peach out of here that the-bastard-that-shan't-be-named had done, it was pass down a few effective fighting tips to me. Maybe if I punched the king again, I'd alleviate some of the anger.

_But the anger is covering up the guilt, that's covering up the sadness that might turn into severe depression. _

So be it.

"What did you come here for?"

"To piss you off."

Bowser inhaled audibly through his flared nostrils and glared balefully at me.

"I assume it's working," I observed quietly.

It would have been nice if this were to have given me some sort of satisfaction, this taunting of the Dark King. Truth was, it wasn't making me feel better at all. But at least he was being spited. I'd be damned if I were to make things easy for him. If he wants those answers, he'll have to do more than just demand them.

I stared blankly at the king, my head still in a cradle of my hands. I guess I was feeling a numbness that he probably mistook for calmness. He stepped closer to me, and that's when I sat up. My legs were starting to hurt from where my elbows were digging into them anyway, so I crossed my arms behind my head and reclined sideways on the 'bed'.

If anything, this blatant show of disrespect might have gotten me killed.

But something was happening with him, in his head. I could see from how distant his gaze suddenly grew. He then narrowed his eyes once more and frowned.

"I know you," He stated, "You're that fool plumber's kid brother, Lorenzo."

I turned my head to correct him, but then thought better of it; why bother? He'd just forget it again anyway.

"To say you're some kind of all-powerful ruler," I noted, "You sure are absent-minded."

It was on my mind, so I said it. Why not. The worst he could do was kill me, and I was ready for that; it meant an opportunity of getting out of this cell since I'm sure he'd want to do it in a most public, ostentatious way, if only to spite my brother. And once I was out of the cell, I'd have a chance at fighting my way to Daisy and getting out of here.

And if he tried to hit me, well, I was ready for that too.

"You're just like him," Bowser spat, "You both think you're so clever. Stealing my wife away from me-"

"Uh, she wasn't really yours to steal." I interjected flatly.

He ran his tongue over that fanged tooth in the left corner of his open mouth as he regarded me. I think he was gauging whether or not I was seriously testing him this way.

"Do you have a death wish, punk?" He asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know yet."

"I don't believe this." He scoffed, "Did he really send you over here to distract me while he made off with my woman?" _  
_

I blinked slowly, trying to figure out what he was referring to. Did he think Mario had sent me as a distraction? Mario had no idea I was still here, probably. The plan was for me and Peach and the bastardous no-name to return to Mushroom Kingdom and sort things out, with Daisy in tow. But that had gone awry.

"Well you'll pay for your brother's stupidity," Bowser spoke in a low voice, "I warned you two that if I caught you on my territory, I'd kill you myself."

"So why am I still alive?"

The question left my mouth quickly but completed itself in a lazed, drawling fashion. What was I really doing? I don't know. Don't care, either.

"You have answers. I will get them from you." He stated simply. "Then, you will die."

"Good luck with that." I told him before rolling over onto my side, my back towards him.

Maybe I did have a death wish.

_No, I still gotta' hang in there. For Daisy's sake. _

* * *

For her sake, Daisy pretended to be asleep when the Dark King arrived. But that only lasted a second before her nerves got the best of her and her eyes shot open.

The slam of the door punctuated his return, and was the only noise in the room for a moment. As she lay in the nest of silk with her legs hunched up near her chest and her left hand under the pillow, gripping the hilt of the dagger, she waited. She wanted him to make the first move because right then she was overdosing on adrenaline and couldn't think properly. With her body taut for action and her senses hyper-aware of his presence, she blinked rapidly and tried not to make a sound.

The king sauntered around the room slowly, his boots thudding mutedly against the soft flooring. Those black boots came into her direct view when he stepped in front of her and stood there. Her nose was a few inches away from the polished, supple leather and now she was really edgy.

That rustling noise had to have been him removing his shirt because in the next instant it was tossed down onto the floor near his feet while he continued to stand there. Daisy wanted to move the comforter up under her chin so that he wouldn't see her hand under the pillow, but right then she couldn't get herself to move.

Then the king dropped to his knees.

She bit down on her lip but prided herself on not scooting back at the sudden action. He'd scared her but he would never know, not if she could help it. And with him on his knees, she decided to act.

If the barbed dagger hadn't snagged, the king wouldn't have seen her attack coming. As it was, he had just enough time to widen his jade eyes and stand up before she got the knife free.

He was standing, then, so she had to improvise from her earlier plan. This meant launching herself at him and hooking her legs around his middle from behind. She had one of her arms over his shoulder while she yanked the fabric scarf from around her own waist, then wound it round the king's neck. She was careful to keep her legs clamped tightly around him so as not to lose her own balance. It hurt her bruised thighs, but she pressed on anyway.

_I've started this, now I've got to go through with it, _was her reasoning.

Her reward came in the sound of Bowser's hitched breathing and subsequent choking.

Too bad for her, Bowser clawed at his neck and latched onto the scarf and then, having ascertained it as the source of his agitation, burned it to cinders with his heated hand. She had no choice but to bring her arms back around him in the cloth's absence, knowing full well she ran the risk of being burned as well.

_I'll just have to make this fast, _she thought desperately.

When the king gripped one of her forearms, Daisy slid the hand bearing the dagger free and slashed at the king, effectively cutting his palm and buying herself a quick second. In that precious time, she plunged the knife deep into his chest, where she thought his heart would be.

Only.

She was behind him, and with her left hand she'd had a limited range, so the puncture was made just at the top of his torso instead. But that hardly dismayed her, seeing as how the king was hissing in pain right then.

"Ah! You _bitch_!" He roared.

Bowser's hands were glowing so she knew what was coming. That was why, when he reached for hers, she had the good sense to pull away. With her arms away, the only thing holding her to him were her legs and that's what he went after. Daisy cried out when white-hot pain seared over the bruises on her thighs that were already there. She fell off of him and landed on her side on the floor, the tears only too eager to obscure her vision.

"You little viper!" He hissed, glaring balefully down at her.

Daisy crawled backwards on her hands but she knew she wouldn't be able to get away from him fast enough. So she wasn't surprised when he jerked her by her hair and made her stand. When he slapped her, she fell near the bed and that's when she got angry.

Angrier.

**"You!"** She shouted, "The only snake here is _**you**!" _

Daisy grabbed at her foot in search of her last ditch method of protection, only to find that she'd lost one of the heels somewhere along the line of this fight. She tugged off the remaining black shoe and stood on wobbly legs, holding the shoe out in front of herself, heel-first, as if it were the might Excalibur. Her breath came out in shallow pants, her hair hung wildly all over her head, her light eyes shone with a vehemence that clearly overpowered her famished, battered body, and the shirt she was wearing hung off her left shoulder, revealing a cut there.

It was then that something about Bowser's countenance abruptly changed.

Daisy frowned because, although she noticed it, she couldn't say what it was or what it meant for her. He stood there, his hand closed loosely over the bloody wound under his chest, near the dagger that was still lodged hilt-deep within him. Those jade eyes burned intensely, still, but there was no malice in them now. Only...fascination?

_What is going on? What is he thinking? Why did he stop hitting me and **why** is he looking at me like that, _were the things racing through Daisy's mind.

The Dark King eyed the shaking young woman critically as he removed the dagger. There was only a faint wince as he yanked the knife from his body. There were bits of his bloody flesh caught in the barbed wire and Daisy had to look away from the nasty sight before she threw up the contents that she didn't have to give from her empty stomach. Her alternative was meeting those hard eyes of his again.

She didn't know which was more unpleasant.

"Where did you get this?" The king asked her.

He studied the weapon that had wronged him curiously, but not so much as he did her in the next instant. Daisy swallowed hard. She wasn't going to tell him. Not a chance.

"Ah." He murmured, "That's right; you are a stubborn one."

Daisy breathed through her mouth, thinking it would assuage her throbbing head in some way. She was afraid she might swoon. The struggle of lashing out was taking its toll on her, now that the adrenaline high was crashing down.

Bowser smirked, despite what happened, and approached her, tossing away the soiled blade. Daisy didn't move. She feared that if she did, it would be her last step before passing out. So the king met no resistance when he curled his fingers over her shoulders roughly. The girl lowered the shoe in her hands until it slipped from her digits to the floor; it would be of no use to her now.

"You're a real piece of work, little girl," He spoke, "attacking me the way you did. And is that, _creative _modification your handiwork?"

He gestured to the dormant, crimson-stained weapon lying on the carpet and Daisy cringed, refusing to do more than glance at it.

"Go on, look at it," He encouraged, "Aren't you proud of what you've done?"

Daisy frowned and spoke quietly, "No. But I had to do something. I don't take any joy in. In maiming and torturing like you do. I'm not a monster like you!"

Bowser silenced her when he moved one of his hands to seize her throat. His hold on her allowed her to breathe, still, but not very easily. She was forced, now, to stare straight up at him. He looked back at her with a mild expression.

"Oh?" He murmured. "I don't think I believe you, precious."

Bowser let her throat go and ran his thumb along the skin that was exposed from where the large shirt hung off of her. She twitched when the pad of his finger traced over the cut on her shoulder.

"I think you liked it. A lot, in fact." He said silkily, "It felt good to do that to me, didn't it? To hurt me as I'd hurt you?"

"No." She denied in a whisper.

She knew that was a lie. It had felt good, _damn_ good, when she stabbed him and had seen the pain evident in his voice and face. It felt like she'd taken a bit of justice that fate would've withheld from her.

_But that's different, _she reasoned, _I'm not like him. I don't enjoy it, I mean. I didn't want to do it. No, I. It's. I'm..._

"I'm not like you," She spoke aloud, more for herself than him.

"Yes you are," He said, then gazed beyond her. "Perhaps _she _wasn't, after all..."

When he refocused his eyes, he told her, "But you are."

Daisy would have protested, but he removed his hands from her and strode out of the room. With him gone, she was free to crumple to the floor, hug her body in on itself, and let exhaustion overtake her.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, everybody! Leave your comments about what you think of the story thus far! And of course tell me about the grammar mistakes because I was too lazy to proofread, heh.**

**There is still more to come, like what is Ludwig up to?**

**And Mario?**

**And Peach?**

**And maybe B-Jun and the Koopalings?**

**Oh, and of course, Luigi and Daisy. No, the Dark King isn't finished with her yet, but she still has a lot of will left in her so he has no clue what's coming to him, lol.**

**As always, I'll try to update soon so stay tuned! **

**~DymondGold~**


	42. Chapter 42

**You guys I cried today.**

**When I'd first written this chapter, a sleight of the hand caused me to enter some keystrokes that closed the fanfic tab I was writing in, and unfortunately I had saved nothing so all my work was lost. I was devastated.**

**For about ten whole minutes.**

**Then I watched some funny videos to pick up my spirits and got right back at it. Hopefully this draft is still good!**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**As a warning, this chapter is dark in nature so yeah. Beware! lol, it is rated 'M' after all. (don't worry, it's not too bad)**

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Two**

* * *

She didn't know how long it had been, but it was with a strong sense of deja vu that Daisy awoke to the sound of a door slamming shut. She was learning to hate that sound and, even more so, the person she associated such a brash noise with. She blinked blearily and glanced around to gain her bearings, then started to remember what had transpired during her last encounter with the royal who'd just strolled in.

_I stabbed him, tried to strangle him, and I think I yelled at him too; yeah, I'm gonna' die for sure._

Knowing her end was probably imminent didn't stop her from standing shakily to her feet, with the aid of the nightstand that is. She faced the Dark King and was dismayed to see that his magicians had to have healed him. They had to have, for there was nothing to indicate he'd just been stabbed what was it, hours? A day ago? At most, it might have been. That was so unfortunate, but not totally unexpected. She just hated that he'd be at his full strength if, or rather when, he decided to enact his revenge.

_He doesn't look angry, _she observed, but she knew better. That impassivity could hide a mood most foul and he'd not show it until it was too late for her. That was why she stood so rigidly as he crossed the room, wearing nothing but those pants and steel-toed boots of his. He came right up in her personal space and greeted her in a neutral sort of tone.

"Morning."

_Is it really morning? It doesn't feel like it, _she thought idly.

"Is there something wrong with my room?" He asked her.

She blinked and let her expression of utter befuddlement clue him in to her confusion. Bowser let a bit of amusement creep into his tone then.

"I know you're used to being a kitchen hand," He stated contemptuously, "But I thought you might like it here. It's a step up from the dungeons, don't you think?"

"Not really."

_Did I say that out loud? No, I couldn't have, _she assured herself, _if I did, he would have hit me or something._

She didn't realize that she had indeed said that aloud and that it had caused the king's smirk to grow wider. He wasn't taking offense but was being encouraged by her sass.

"And my bed?" He quipped, "You prefer the floor to my bed? As luxurious as the carpeting is, it's nothing compared to this."

He gestured to the bed, still missing its comforter and one of the pillows.

"I would never sleep in that thing." Daisy spoke with clear disdain.

She shuddered to think she'd ever spend a night in that giant trap of silk and musky-smelling sheets. Bowser misinterpreted her shudder, took it as an unspoken invitation for him to move closer and dip his head towards the side of hers. As if he had the right he settled his hands over her hips proprietarily and brought her closer to himself.

"Oh, but we don't have to _sleep_, precious," he murmured silkily.

Daisy scowled but stifled a gag for fear she'd actually retch, she was so disgusted. She tried to remove his hands but his grip tightened, so instead she began to beat at his chest.

"Get off me!" She cried indignantly.

Bowser did move his hands, then, but it was only to seize her wrists. He brought the both of them under his chin and grated her knuckles back and forth against his skin. The underside of his jaw was hot, the skin there was rough.

"There you go again, attacking me." He remarked, "You must be very brave. Or very...foolish."

"Let me go." She ordered.

"And now you make demands of me." He added in bemusement. "Does your recklessness know no bounds?"

She had no answer for him; in fact she was wondering the very same thing. Surely she knew of his power and that he had her outmatched in height, weight, and abilities, not to mention his being male was an advantage that she couldn't discount. This all did well to sober her, to some extent. She still didn't want him touching her, overpowered or not.

"Do you hate me?" Bowser asked abruptly.

_What kind of question is that? He should know that by now, _she thought to herself.

Still looking perplexed, Daisy nodded her head in the affirmative.

Bowser nodded too and said, "Yes, I figured as much. So tell me, why then are you wearing my shirt?"

"Huh?" She stammered.

"You do wear it so well," He noted, "So I suppose I can't complain."

"You are despicable," Daisy shook her head.

_I don't care if he hits me, somebody needs to let him know what a vile person he is, _she thought in a huff.

Her insult didn't have the intended effect. No, it would seem that she'd yet again managed to amuse him. His laugh was deep and loathsomely sexy, as much as she hated to admit it.

"You know, another woman told me that same thing." He told her, "Granted, she wasn't nearly as bold as you. But again, I may be attributing bravery where there is really only recklessness."

All Daisy was thinking about was who that 'woman' was that he'd referred to; could it be the princess? In that case, she felt a sort of kinship for a moment. At least Peach had called him out on his nastiness, too. Though it didn't seem to do any good.

"As for your earlier transgression," The king spoke, "I'll overlook it. So long as you don't make the same grave mistake again."

_Don't bet on it, _she thought, knowing that she'd get at him again were the opportunity to present itself.

Aloud she proclaimed snidely, "How very _magnanimous_ you are."

"Indeed," Bowser agreed, "And I can be so much more than that, if you would allow it."

His voice had dropped an octave and he'd closed her in: his hands technically weren't on her, since they were palm-first on either side of the nightstand, but the effect of having him so near her was just as unsettling as it would be if he were touching her. Like most of what he said to her, this last sentence was laced with innuendo, no, _teeming _with it.

There was a knock at the door.

Luckily for her, the king left her to go answer it. Daisy breathed out in relief and wasted no time in rushing over to the vanity. She recalled, after their last interaction, that Bowser had carelessly tossed the dagger near there. She had to find it if she planned on standing a chance against him because she was only getting weaker as the days progressed in the same, torturous fashion. Down to her knees she dropped and began patting at the space underneath the wooden piece of furniture.

_Where is it? Don't tell me it's gone; oh no, it is!_ _Great. He would pick now, of all times, to actually learn from his mistakes, _she thought with a mix of wryness and dismality.

And to make matter worse, the door slammed shut, punctuating the Dark King's return.

"I have something for you, precious." He called out.

Daisy stood quickly and was about to tell him that she didn't, and wouldn't ever, want anything from him. But as she faced him, she fell silent. In his hands was something she _did_ want, and very badly at that. The sight of it made her palms and mouth moisten, tightened her stomach into knots, and dizzied her head.

He had food.

There, in his two hands was a tray that held a steaming plate of delicious-smelling food. Aromatic, marinated steak and soft, cube-cut potatoes sat prettily upon the clean white dish, just tempting her. The same could be said of the bread, all fragrant and fluffed up and hot. And just looking at the tall, clear glass of fresh water made her throat burn; the way it was all covered in condensation told her it had to be ice-cold and crisp.

"Are you hungry?" The king asked with an innocently interested expression.

Daisy at first blinked at him, then glared. _Is he testing me? He's the one who held me in the dungeons without food and water for days on end, why is he asking me this?_

Bowser took the tray and sat at the edge of the bed, across from where she stood at the vanity. He set the tray down beside him and folded his arms. His gaze upon her was expectant as he waited for an answer, but he wasn't the most patient sort.

"I'll take your silence as a no," He shrugged.

The king then took the sleek utensil, a gold-colored fork, and dug into the plate. He pierced a potato with that fork, sunk the four sharp prongs into the vegetable's white flesh and released little wasps of steam from the punctures. He was about to bring the fork to his mouth when Daisy decided she had to stop him.

She had made the choice when she arrived in the bedroom that her fate was in her hands, that she only had to lose as much as she decided to since Peach was gone, and that she called the shots when it came to what she could take.

And this she just could not take.

She was absolutely famished and weak and to stand there and watch the pampered king devour a meal in front of her would be her undoing, she just knew it. So she stopped him.

"Why?" She blurted.

Bowser lowered the fork and again folded his arms, regarding her.

"Why what?" he asked her.

She said, "Why are you doing this? You know I've been starving since you arrested me, so why did you even ask me if I was hungry?"

_Are you really that cruel?_

She would have to remember to kick herself for having asked that last part, even if it was within her mind. She ought to know by now that he was the most evil being to have ever ruined the earth with his foul existence.

Bowser replied in a murmur, "Because I wanted to hear you say it; that's our game, after all."

"Game?" She breathed, "What game?"

"The one we've been playing since you arrived at my palace." He answered, "Though I was only recently made aware of it, thanks to my Court of Magicians."

_Damn those men to the deepest, blackest pits of Hell, _she thought murderously. She chose to save the shock and awe at her own animosity for later on, a time where she wasn't so cripplingly hungry and vulnerable and mad.

Bowser continued with, "Now this is the best part; it's where you and I reach an agreement."

"I'm not playing any of your sick games." She spat at him.

"It's as much your game as it is mine, precious, you know that." He told her, "You were the one to enact it. Now you must finish it."

"No." She refused.

He ignored her and stated, "Yes, I know you want food and you shall have it. All of it. So long as you give me what I want; answers. All of them. Understand?"

Daisy didn't respond so he gave a little sigh.

"Come here." He ordered.

She just stood there at the vanity.

"Come to me on your own," He warned her, "because if I have to come get you, you're not going to like it."

And that's what made her move. She didn't want him touching her. But she also wanted to keep her distance and avoid contact with him at all costs. From the way he'd spread his legs, she didn't think this would be possible. She took a couple baby steps towards him before she stopped.

"What do you want from me?" She asked tentatively.

Impatiently he replied, "Answers, girl. As I've said."

"I mean," She clarified, "Why do I have to come over there? Can't I stay here?"

He smirked. "Are you afraid to even be near me?"

_Yes._

"No."

"Then come here." He demanded.

Daisy reigned in her apprehension and walked the rest of the way over to him. Between his legs she stood awkwardly, not being able to tear her eyes away from the hearty meal. Bowser saw this and smiled in a feigned show of benevolence.

"It is yours," He reiterated, "So long as you agree to answer any and all questions I may have for you."

And there it was again, the choice was hers. She made it quickly; there was no way she'd last much longer without food. She knew this. And if she wanted to get out of here, she'd also need to do what it took to remain in this bedroom, seeing as how it was one step closer to those front doors that led out of the palace. There was just one thing she had to know.

"Did you put something in the food?" She asked him.

The king's jade eyes flickered briefly with some unknown emotion before he settled them back into hard marble-like neutrality.

"No." He replied.

She was skeptical, still. "What about the water? Is there anything in there? If I consume this meal, will I be forced to tell the truth or something awful like that?"

"Telling the truth is awful to you?" He frowned.

Daisy bit her lip; she hadn't meant to say it like that. Now he'd know she planned on lying to him. She tried to work her way out of the hold she'd begun digging.

"Please answer me," She implored, "is there any spells or charms or serums in this meal?"

Bowser rolled his eyes and said, "If you're looking for a catch, you'll find but one, and that is the one I've already stated; in exchange for this meal, you must indulge me."

That wasn't really answering her question but she was getting too hungry to care and accepted it with a nod. This made the king grin and he handed her the tray. Daisy took it carefully and just stared at it, so eager she didn't even know where to begin.

"Won't you sit down?" he requested, "It's hardly lady-like to eat standing up."

_Like I care, _she could have snorted had she possessed a little more energy. But her hopes of getting food in her were dashed when he took the tray from her and put it back down beside him. He gestured towards his opened legs and Daisy made a face, one full of bewilderment and anger at having been denied what she was promised.

"Come sit in my lap." He told her.

"No." She sniffed.

_As if I would, _she thought, _he must be crazy if he thinks I will. _

"No?" He repeated curiously, "I suppose you don't want this then."

He lit his right hand on fire and held it dangerously close to the tray, intending on singeing it to cinders.

"No!" Daisy cried frantically, "Don't."

Bowser extinguished his hand but kept it hovering over the plate. She knew what she had to do, and it made her hate him all the more. His fateful words came floating back to her then; '_I can make you do whatever I want...' _

_No, _she told herself, _that's not true! He can't! _

But if he couldn't, why then was she shuffling towards him? Why was she letting him guide her down onto the bed in between his legs? Why was she allowing him to snake that arm around her waist, to tuck his chin in the crook of her neck and left shoulder?

She had no answer for herself that didn't make her feel ashamed.

"There's a good girl," He praised softly next to her temple.

Daisy was rewarded with him sitting the tray into her lap with his free hand. After that, she dug in. She wasn't cautious in the way that she broke the tender meat apart with her fingers and popped the pieces into her mouth. All she cared about was getting those succulent morsels down into her empty stomach. The steak wasn't as good as when she cooked it, but right then it was an edible God-send. She barely even chewed the potatoes, but she let them linger in mouth long enough to appreciate their savory taste and texture.

Even though she'd taken sips of water in between bites in an effort to pace herself, Daisy found her eyes darting up to the vanity mirror for a split second and that's when she saw that she was almost finished. That made sense, seeing as how she'd nearly downed the water in the first place, so there wasn't any left now. It was funny, she hadn't realized how thirsty she was until then. Another thing she noticed while locked eyes with herself in the mirror was that the king was watching her.

_Has he been staring at me like that the whole time, _she wondered in mild horror. She hated to be watched at all, but it was the worst when people stared at her while she ate. It unnerved her. That alone made her slow down when she started working on the bread and the last of the steak.

She refused to look up again as she tried to be a bit more dainty in tearing off chunks of the loaf. Once she had a taste of the butter, melt-in-your-mouth bread, she couldn't help herself. She had to have more, and faster, to satisfy her turning stomach. She had planned to sop up the rich juices that the steak had left behind with the bread, but there was none left by the time that thought came back to her.

_I could use my finger, _she thought desperately, _or my tongue, better yet. _

She abstained from doing either: she did still have her dignity to think about. To not be able to lick the plate clean was a bigger regret of hers than caving in had been. Her bottomless pit of a stomach still wasn't satisfied. She dared glance up at the mirror, just to see if she had anything on her face, and that's when she saw that Bowser had his eyes closed. His long, tangled red hair tickled her neck and she noticed that, with those intense jade eyes shut, the king almost looked peaceful.

_The perfect time to strike, _she immediately thought.

She knew the guilt would come, that which spawned from her having thought first of hurting someone during a vulnerable moment, but she would deal with that guilt later. Now he had a valuable second to do something worthwhile against her tormentor and she would not waste it pondering the sentimentality of his deceptively placid face. Daisy glanced around her rapidly but was careful not to move much; even though his eyes were closed, his arms were still wrapped around her middle and one of his set of fingers drummed idly against her hip.

Daisy took the fork from the tray since there was no knife. It was still clean from its near-disuse and was sharper than she originally gave it credit for. She didn't hesitate to raise the thing up high, making sure she had a good grip and enough momentum, before slamming it back down into Bowser's arm.

He stiffened, sucked in a sharp inhalation through his nose, and furrowed his brow angrily over his still-closed eyes.

Daisy looked down and cursed her luck; the fork hadn't even broken the skin. But it must have caught him off guard. However, he merely smoothed his features and plucked the utensil from her hand, tossing it away from his arm.

"So this is how I am to be repaid?" He spoke speculatively.

Now he opened his eyes and tightened his arms around her waist. But he didn't yell at her or hit her like she thought he would. Bowser stood, taking her with him, and then picked her up. He didn't hold her long, no he soon dropped her back onto the bed and lit his hands menacingly when she tried to scramble off of the mattress.

"You'll want to be still now." He advised.

Daisy swallowed and did as he said, scooting away from him and tucking her legs underneath herself. She wished she'd held onto the fork. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Bowser stood and rubbed his arm idly, looking her over. "You certainly are a violent little creature. And so ungrateful, too."

The look in her light eyes let him know she was not at all apologetic for what she'd done. In fact, she wished she could have done more, worse. He grinned.

"Don't worry," He assured her, "I'll not hold this against you. So long as you fulfill your end of the bargain now."

Daisy would, but that didn't mean she would tell him anything useful. She nodded at him, which pleased the king. She couldn't believe that he'd merely warned her and let her off the hook when she'd attacked him yet again. Granted, poking him with a fork was all she'd essentially done, but it was the principle of the matter.

_I'm sure this won't be the last of it, _she predicted.

The king stood in front of the bed smugly and asked, "Are you ready to begin?"

_Is he implying I have a choice? Funny, _she mused, then nodded.

"What is your name?"

"Rose."

"Your real name."

"It's Rose."

Bowser studied her for a while before moving on. She didn't know if he'd bought it or not, but he didn't ask her any more on that subject.

"Last name?" He prompted.

"I don't have one," She lied.

"Don't you?"

Daisy went out on a limb and trusted Ludwig's advice. He was the one who'd told her to stick to the story they rehearsed, so she'd try it.

"No, I'm poor, and it's not uncommon for people like me to lack a surname where I'm from."

"And where is that?"

_Oh no, _she frowned, _what should I say? If I tell him Sarasaland, he'll send his forces there for sure and my armies haven't formally assembled since before Tatanga took over; they're nowhere near ready for an attack. Even Chai, as formidable as it is, happens to be but one kingdom of four; they'd stand no chance. At least Mario is already engaged and has his troops at the ready. _

"Well?" Bowser pressed.

All the thinking was making her head heavy. In fact, her whole body felt sluggish. She assumed that was because she'd just eaten and the food was making her sleepy. She bit back a yawn and answered the impatient king.

"The Mushroom Kingdom," She responded, "that's where I come from."

The king narrowed his eyes. "Interesting," he murmured.

He was silent, then, and paced the floor. Daisy watched him and grew uneasy. She hated it when people paced around her, it made her anxious. She was reminded of another, besides her late father, who was prone to the worrisome activity and frowned. She still couldn't fathom why Ludwig had abandoned her.

When the girl yawned, unable to suppress her tiredness much longer, Bowser halted. And he smirked. She then began to get suspicious.

"What's the matter?" He asked her, "Sleepy? Why don't you lie down, then?"

Now she was especially skeptical. She felt as if he had a clue about what was going on with her. The feeling she'd mislabeled as sluggish was actually more of a pressing lethargy. All in her arms and legs, her muscles were getting weak and it was beginning to be a chore just sitting upright and keeping her eyes open.

_Maybe I should lie down, _she thought hazily.

As soon as she reclined onto her side, it hit her. She snapped her eyes wide open and struggled to lift herself up. However, now that she was more aware of her weakness, it seemed that much more prevalent. So on her elbows she leaned and glared at the king.

"You lied!" She accused.

He tilted his head, "Did I?"

"You said there wasn't anything in that food!" She cried, "But you must've put something in there because now I can't get up."

"I didn't put anything _in _the food," He specified, "But my magicians did place a bit of magic _over _the food. Didn't I tell you that?"

"No!" She gritted out.

"Ah," He smirked, "Forgive me. It must have slipped my mind."

The girl got distressed. Her strength was steadily waning and here she was, lying in the middle of his bed. He could do anything and she'd not be able to fight him. It was a harrowing situation to be caught in, indeed. She was straining from the effort of even sitting halfway up, and flopped down onto her back. She blinked and tried to slow her pounding heart.

"What are you going to do to me?" She asked him.

He came and sat at the foot of the bed, near her bare feet. His tone was flat and she couldn't really see his face since craning her neck was too laborious a task at the moment.

_Ah, I feel so stupid for letting him trick me, _she lamented, _was the food really worth this? _

"What to do with you, indeed." Bowser murmured. "I suppose I could pay you back for your treachery."

"But you said you'd overlook that." Daisy argued weakly.

"Precious, I'm a liar: I thought we established that much."

"Of _course_," She retorted vehemently.

She was afraid, yes, but she was also so angry. Now she knew that she couldn't trust him under any circumstances, couldn't believe a word he said from then on. She also had some hope that whatever calamity this was that disabled her wouldn't last, just like the truth serum didn't last.

_And when I've gained my strength back, I'll make him pay for this._

_No, I need to get out of here, not get revenge; what kind of person am I turning into? _

"As I've said before," The king continued, "I can be...magnanimous. And so I shall be."

Daisy couldn't see him, but she felt it when he took one of her bare feet and cradled it in his hands. It confused her when he started kneading the heel of his palm into her sole.

"Since you've been so cooperative," He told her quietly, "I believe I'll let your behaviour slide."

While he spoke, the tyrant worked over her foot expertly. He used his fingers to massage along the grooves on her ankles, pushing his thumb into her arch softly. She would never have guessed that his simple ministrations could have this sort of effect on her: she was getting hot all over and her breathing was starting to slow.

His hot hands were bad enough, but then he had to take things up a notch; Bowser brought her foot up to his mouth and placed little kisses, lighter than air, under each of her toes. She felt something start to tingle, just below her abdomen, and she squeezed her legs together in an effort to stop the sensation. In the process, she tried to pull her foot away from him but he was having none of it.

Not only did he pull her foot back towards him but, with his left hand, he started simultaneously caressing her other foot as well.

_Sweet hell, he's ambidextrous, _she realized.

Bowser wasn't paying her any mind, no, all his attention was devoted to her two feet. Now that feeling down between her legs was growing and starting to make her restless.

"Stop that," She blurted.

The king was alternately brushing his mouth over the balls of both of her feet and it was getting more and more intense, that feeling within her, each time he did it. For his part, the royal blinked over at her.

"Stop what?" He asked innocuously.

"That!" She cried, "What you're doing to my-ah."

She pushed her fist up to her mouth and bit down on her knuckle then, because he'd yet again taken things further. Instead of backing down like she'd asked him, Bowser had taken his tongue, yes his slimy wet appendage, and had touched her with it.

Only.

It didn't feel as gross as she thought it would, as it ought to have. No, his tongue was more muscle than slime and the tip of it was white-hot as he ran it along the middle of her left foot. He did the same to her right, painstakingly slowly, and she had to clamp down on her knuckles in her mouth even harder so as not to make some embarrassing noise in response to the pleasure.

"You like that?" He asked her knowingly.

Daisy shut her eyes tightly and willed her dwindling energy to her feet, then gave the both of them a mighty jerk. She did free herself from him, for a moment, but he just grabbed her ankles again.

"Don't." She entreated in a breathy voice, "Stop touching me."

"I don't think you want me to do that." was Bowser's answer for her. "Not really."

He stopped talking and bent his neck over her. She curled her toes, in fear? Anticipation? She couldn't be sure at the moment. But it wasn't her feet he was after this time.

In an uncharacteristic show of gentleness, he pecked at one of her shins and smoothed circles over the other. The king worked his way up to her knees and she clamped them shut. He glanced up at her, his gaze challenging, and then he forcibly pried her slender, bare legs back apart. It didn't take much, seeing as how weak she was.

"What are you doing?" She asked him warily.

Bowser tugged her body by her thighs downward so that he was in between them. Daisy winced from the pain; her thighs still had marks on them and were tender. The king took notice and assuaged the girl's injured area, but rather than alleviate the pain, his eager hands only made her current dilemma worse. She wriggled and attempted to turn onto her side.

That proved futile once the royal pinned her down on her back with his hands as veritable manacles over her forearms. Still she struggled as much as her impotent body would allow.

"Won't you be still?" He murmured.

"Why, so you can rape me?" She spat back.

Bowser stilled. "Rape you?"

She didn't like that pensive glaze that shone over his gold-flecked eyes then. He was blank-faced for a moment, but that didn't last long. Soon his sensual lips curved into another of his trademark smirks and he dipped his head down into the crook of her neck.

"It's not rape if you like it," He pointed out.

"Yeah, but I don't." She replied.

But that was a bald-faced lie and she had a feeling he knew it. His teeth were sharper than they looked because the feel of them scraping against the supple skin under her jaw made her quiver.

"I think you do," Bowser hummed into her throat.

He certainly was fond of using his tongue against her, probably because he knew it made her weak. When he dragged it roughly up over her chin and right under her bottom lip, she released a strangled sound of want.

Bowser laughed.

The vibrations from his chuckle sent a chill down her spine and rose those hairs lying at the nape of her neck. He held back no longer and violently kissed her lips, moving his own against hers so aggressively that she feared he might bruise her. She first pursed her mouth so that sinful tongue wouldn't come near hers and then she turned her head to the side. He didn't seem to mind, for he then began laying open-mouthed embraces below her ear and around her temple.

_Is this supposed to feel this good or am I just a dirty person? Is he right? Is this what I want? _

Bowser wasn't satisfied with just assaulting her with his skilled mouth, though. With one hand he dove under her shirt, er, his shirt that she wore. There raked his fingers up the side of her body. His nails caught on her undershirt on his way up to her chest, and even that felt so good to her.

_What is wrong with me? _

Probably to startle her he slid his thumb along the underside of her chest. It made the girl stiffen and squirm: her mind and body agreed that it was definitely a bad touch and she reached under her shirt to combat his wandering digits. For once he obliged her and removed his hand, so slowly though.

However, he only brought it back.

This time he used both hands to slip under her two undershirts. He planted his dextrous hands on either side of her stomach and used their position for leverage as he rocked his hips into hers.

Daisy wasn't quick enough to stifle the choked, breathy gasp that escaped uninhibited from her throat. Immediately she flushed, ashamed, and turned her head. She felt the spike of guilty tears that warred with the clear mix of augmenting arousal. If Bowser was aware of her turmoil, he didn't show it. He was too busy breathing unevenly next to her cheek, ghosting his open mouth over the already-heated skin there.

The king's hands hooked under her knees and hoisted her legs up around himself. That's when Daisy thought she felt something, something cold and hard, against her inner thigh. But what was it? Surely not...

_If it's what I think it is, I'll need to get to it quickly, _she thought.

Her resolve was returning to her, bit by bit, as she saw this new opportunity. She was still weak but if she applied her energy in the right way, she could turn the situation around.

Daisy sucked in a breath sharply.

To obstruct her moment of clarity there was another surge of heady pleasure when the royal on top of her took her earlobe into his mouth. As if of their own volition, her legs widened incrementally and that was all the invitation Bowser need to grind into her again.

_I need to act really, really fast before he..._

_Need to..._

_Have to get... _

She was losing herself, falling down a million-mile cliff into a dark abyss where she was slave to the heightening passion between her legs.

It must have been her subconscious' last-ditch attempt at saving her when an image of Luigi flashed behind her tightly shut eyelids. The effect was like being smacked in the face with a wad of snow in the middle of winter: Luigi.

_What am I doing?! _

She snapped her eyes open and observed the situation objectively; Bowser was on top of her, using his body against her. He was seducing her, and she'd nearly given in to him.

_Seducing me, _she realized, _and when would I have figured it out? After he got his way? _

She felt the sickly sweet remains of the pleasure that had haunted her insides just seconds ago begin to fade until there was nothing left, nothing but a drained, disgusted feeling, that is. She was disappointed in herself. It wasn't the pleasure that shamed her, for there was nothing wrong with her or her body. It wasn't wrong to feel the way she did. But it was wrong to feel that way with the infamous Lord of the Badlands.

_My body, it's for him, it's for Luigi and nobody else, _she thought fiercely. _So I can't let the Dark King win. Not this time. _

She narrowed her eyes and set her mouth in a tight line. The king, who was still occupied with her body, didn't see this gradual change in countenance. Daisy thought about what she would do next.

_He wants to use his body as a weapon, _she thought, _well, so can I. Now, where is that-Bingo. _

The girl knocked her thigh against the side of his leg and was pleased when she felt that cold, hard thing again. She'd need it.

The first thing she did was pray to whatever deity responsible for handling her fate for forgiveness; already she knew she wouldn't be proud of what she was about to do, but it was necessary. Then she relaxed against the mattress and feigned an expression of lust. She'd never been consumed with the emotion before, but she banked her acting skills to come through for her.

"Bowser," She spoke softly, and how hard it was to do that without grimacing.

The king didn't look at her but hummed against her jaw in an inquiring sort of way. She had her hands free, seeing as his were down near her navel, and so she took the liberty of wrapping them tentatively around her neck.

_No, if I'm gonna' do this, I've got to do it right; no pussy-footing, _she impressed upon herself.

So it was with confidence that she swallowed her distaste and used her grip on him as a sort of aid to pull her upper body off the bed in order for her to push a closed-mouth kiss against his jaw.

_Just pretend it doesn't make my stomach turn, pretend it doesn't make me gag. _

The result of her initiative was instantaneous: Bowser froze against her for a full eight seconds and when he pulled back, his face was unreadable. Daisy kept her arms around him and forced herself not to look away from his darkened eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asked her in a ragged, low voice.

She replied without stammering, "Just giving you what you want."

"What I want?" He parroted ominously. "If you really want to give me what I want, open your legs a little wider."

Daisy swallowed. She didn't know if she could go through with this; she hadn't counted on him calling her out on her bluff. She stoically inched her legs apart just the tiniest bit and he smirked. _  
_

"Very good," He purred, "Now be still and this won't hurt so much for you."

He pinched the fabric of her underwear on either side between his fingers, intent on pulling them away and that's when she lost her nerve.

"Wait!" She blurted. "You can't!"

"Why not?" He asked her rather patiently.

"Because, uh," She faltered.

He quirked a brow as he waited for her to speak.

"Aren't you um, married?" She asked him with a twinge of desperation.

_As if marriage holds any sanctity for someone like him, _she thought dismally.

The king said contemplatively, "Ah yes. I _was_ married. But you see, my wife was stolen from me."

"But..." She trailed, grasping at metaphorical straws that, even in her imagination, didn't exist.

"But what?" He asked her with a bemused smirk.

Daisy blinked up at the passive king and could think of no more excuses. She was naturally bad at stalling, at least deliberately, and this case was no exception. The tears came back, the fullness of her folly only just hitting her. How naive was she! To think that she could seduce the Dark King, that is. This was his game, a field where he was master. She only now saw that she stood no chance.

_Oh wait! The knife! _

That was what she'd felt against her thigh. She knew he kept a dagger on his person but didn't know where it was, until she'd felt it. In her panic at the thought of being taken advantage of, she'd nearly forgotten about it. Quickly, she slipped back into character.

"Okay." She told him.

Bowser grinned, "Are you sure?"

She slid her hands from around his neck, down the hard planes of his chest and let that be her answer. The primeval desire was blatant on his face now, and that made her shiver.

_Definitely need to hurry. _

While he thought she was groping him, in truth she was making her way down to that weapon. He was moving fast now. There was no more of his fondling or kisses, he was grabbing at her shirt and pulling it over her head.

Her heart started to pound, especially when he scooped his arms behind her back and pulled her up to sit in his lap.

She was brazen about it then, running her hands over his waistband and fumbling for the dagger. She didn't know how crazy she was making him.

_Found it! _

The smile spread on her face, taut with victory and relief. She pulled the thing free from a hidden pocket against his leg and then held it behind her back. She'd been quick about it, Bowser hadn't noticed yet. She pushed at his chest with her free hand and he gave in to her.

"You wanna be on top?" He frowned, "I guess that's alright. For now."

And too easily he fell onto his back and supported himself on his elbows. Daisy straddled him and was quivering with excitement, but not the kind that he thought was driving her to shake like that. She felt powerful, for one moment, and that power expelled the effects of whatever ill-magic was used on her, if only for a second. But that was all she needed.

Daisy took aim this time and brought her hidden hand in front of her to join the other. With all her fingers gripping the hilt of this larger, foreign blade, she raised the knife high and relished in the look of utter surprise that crossed Bower's face.

"You little!" He didn't get to finish that insult.

Daisy intended to strike his heart but was once again impeded. The blade not only sunk into his left pectoral, but through the hand he'd thrown up in defense as well. Because his hand had gotten in the way at the last minute, the wounds weren't fatal. But they did well to make him seething mad.

The girl took one look at the bloody mess she'd made and ran. She climbed off the bed and then got her legs tangled in the sheets, making her fall clumsily to the floor. She picked herself up quickly and brought the sheets with her.

"Get back here!" Bowser roared.

He made a grab for her but came up with nothing but silk as she abandoned the bedding and flew out the door in her underwear and undershirts. She didn't know where to go and for a second she stood in the corridor, bewildered. But then Bowser's thudding footfalls sounded, as well as the door as it banged off its hinges.

Daisy shot down the hall then and ran towards the front doors. She was no match for the king's speed, especially considering his ire. He grabbed her from behind and she screamed. He only barked out a laugh.

"No, little girl." He told her, "When I wanted to hear you scream, you stabbed me in the fucking chest."

"No don't!" She cried, "Don't take me back there, don't take me, please!"

_I can't do it again; the torture and the hunger and the darkness. _

"If you didn't want to go back," He spoke tonelessly, "You should've thought twice about attacking me, you foolish girl."

Bowser carried the struggling girl towards the dungeons and she started to panic. She kicked and managed to get him in the nose with her elbow, making him drop her to the hard marble floor. She tried to crawl backwards away from him but he clenched onto her leg.

"You just don't learn, do you?" He growled sardonically, "I'll just have to show you the hard way not to challenge my authority, then."

He shot a blast of fire at her and Daisy shrieked. She hastily tore off her top undershirt and threw it away from her, then watched it burn.

_That could have been me, _she thought in horror, _he's really trying to kill me now! _

Bowser brought a great flame into his hand and stalked towards her threateningly. He yanked her up by the arm and held the fire right next to her face.

"Don't! Please!" She begged, "I'll do what you say, just don't!"

"You'll do what I say?" He sneered. "You had your chance at that, and you ruined it. Twice."

He struck her across the face with his fiery hand and she cried out, then cupped her burnt cheek. He'd only grazed her skin but it still hurt. And her tears only made the injury sting worse. He hit her again and she blocked the strike with her forearm, but still got burned there, too.

Bowser extinguished the flame and shoved her against the wall. She hit her shoulder hard and grimaced, then used her wounded arm to cover her face once more. Bowser smacked her hand away and pinned both her wrists above her head. With the smooth wall behind her, she could only go so far to evade his oncoming body. The king gripped her jaw roughly and forced her to look at him. She did, through her tears and long hair. He narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head.

"Such a pretty little creature," He murmured, "But you're intent on defying me. That is why you'll have to die."

Daisy's breath hitched violently upon hearing that. She didn't want to die! She could take the beating but she didn't want to be killed!

"Please no!" She protested.

"All I wanted was answers," He stated, "But you've made it clear to me that you won't give them to me. And since extracting them from you has proven to be most tiresome, you must be executed."

"No!" She cried. "Please!"

"Please what?" He mocked.

"Please don't k-kill me!" She shamed herself when she pleaded.

_I don't want to die, I can't die, _was all the coherence her mind was offering at the moment.

Bowser let go of her chin but kept hold of her wrists as he scrutinized her. The blood from his punctured hand leaked down her arms and stained the sides of her undershirt and underwear.

"Is this the same wench that boldly attacked me, twice now, with my own weapons? Where is your bravery? Has it yet abandoned you?"

The girl was crying.

_I don't want to die. _

"You do beg so _sweetly_, though." He drawled silkily. "But again, you are more trouble than you're worth."

"Please," She whispered piteously.

Bowser was silent for a spell. His wounds didn't seem to factor in his mind, not as he gazed down at her. The knife was still in his chest but to be honest, attacking him again was the last thing on Daisy's mind. His hot, thick blood was searing the burn on her forearm and making her wince.

The Dark King leaned in close to her so that his bloody chest was against hers, coating the front of her sleeveless shirt with the warm, sticky red substance. He spoke in a low, growl of a tone.

"Either you die," He whispered, "Or you yield to me."

_I don't want to die, I don't want to die..._

Daisy swallowed and was silent, much to his displeasure. He sent fire to his already injured hand that held her wrists and burned her, making her shriek and making his own eyes storm with want.

"Which one will it be?" He asked her.

She spoke thickly, "...I...don't want to die."

"Say it, then." He implored.

Daisy trembled and her knees buckled below her, and the king felt it all. He was the only thing keeping her from crumbling to the ground.

"No," She rasped.

"Oh?" He narrowed his eyes, "So it's the dungeons, then-"

"No," She cut in, her voice breaking.

"Then _say it_," He rumbled.

"I y-yield to...I yield," She stammered.

Bowser smirked, "Same my name, girl. Tell me you'll yield to this Dark King."

"I yield to you," She repeated.

She would not say it, not that. It would be treasonous and worse than death, almost. Luckily, the king seemed to accept her statement.

"That's not what I wanted," He murmured, "But it will do."

Then he kissed her, harshly, finishing the rough assault with a bite that made her lower lip bleed. It was power he wanted, craved, and he wouldn't leave her alone until she indulged him.

He summoned his guards.

"Seize this girl." He told the two Koopas.

Daisy was manhandled into a vice-grip by the brutes as they awaited further orders. She sucked on her lower lip to alleviate the pain but stopped that quickly, for she could taste him on her mouth.

"Bring her to my chambers," He told his men, and to her he said, "Don't make me regret this."

* * *

**A/N: Okay, that was dark, I know. Tell me what you think in a review, by all means. **

**Don't worry, this isn't the end of Daisy or her will; she's a strong girl and she will not break, no matter how much he torments her. **

**I'm going on a retreat so I might not be updating for a couple of days. Until then, I'll see you guys later! **

**~DymondGold~**


	43. Chapter 43

**Thanks for being so patient with me!**

**I know it's short but I feel like I've gone through boot camp: everything's sore, s****o...**

**Here is a little snippet of a chapter for you all! **

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Three**

* * *

"Fix this."

There was no preamble nor any explanation in regards to his current state; the king had simply summoned his magicians to the throne room and demand they heal him. This would be the second time he'd been injured within two days, and that was a record in itself. More surprising than that was the fact that his assailant in both instances had been a human girl nearly half his age and a fraction of his height and weight.

_That girl, _he mused as his magicians set to work on him.

As usual, it didn't take them long to repair torn flesh and muscle, and once they'd finished, he dismissed them without so much as a 'thank-you' of any sort. They knew not to expect it, though, and ducked out of the room quietly.

When they were gone, Bowser lounged in his throne and sat pensive for a few moments. The girl was on his mind. Rose. He sneered: he knew when he was being lied to, and that the girl's name was still being kept from him. The question was, why? What did she have to hide, if she were just a simple poor girl from the Mushroom Kingdom? Who was she? And how had she gotten herself entangled in politics, so much so that she was dabbling in espionage and possible assassination tactics? The answers to these questions and more eluded him.

The girl was an enigma.

Perhaps that was why he was drawn to her. Or it could have been her obstinacy; never had anyone defied him like this, especially not one who favored the likeness of that small woman.

_Small and young as she may be, _he thought wickedly, _she does have a sweet little body._

But her curvy figure and pretty face were offset by her refusal to give in to him. He was used to people, females or otherwise, caving to his whims. Sure, they may resist him in the beginning, but in the end they always broke down and did what he wanted. This girl was different. She had held out so long, surprising him with her boldness and will. She had stabbed him more than once, jumped him, choked him out with...was that a scarf?

Unbelievable.

No matter how much he taunted and tormented her, she didn't crack like he'd thought. Instead she lashed out at him and fought him at every turn. He'd lost his temper on numerous occasions and had beaten her as he would a man, but even that hadn't broken her. It seemed the only thing she really feared was losing her life, and that was the only thing he didn't want to do. Not really. It would mean the end of their game and his amusement.

Yes, she did infuriate him at times, but in truth he loved this. He recognized the qualities in her that she kept in check, the qualities that were inside him too but were much wilder and more out of control: she had the makings of a vindictive, blood-thirsty, violent and hateful, perfect minx of a bitch and that was what he craved to unleash in her. She kept her vices stifled, and that was the only difference between her and him.

What he said about Peach had been utter bullshit, that bit about the former princess being like him; no, he'd told Peach that to get under her skin and make her squirm. But this girl, this feisty little girl, she was like him indeed.

When she glared at him, he saw the potential malevolence that resided in those light eyes. To say she'd cut into him at every opportune moment she could seize told him she was keen with a knife, or at least she was becoming that way. Peach had either never thought to attack him or didn't have the stomach; this girl had a violent mind or an incredible will to escape.

_Probably both, _he guessed.

Another thing about her was her latent sexuality. Where his was blatant and aggressive, hers had to be coaxed to the forefront. She was a novice and most likely a virgin, from what he'd seen, and out of habit, probably, she was suppressing it. It came out at odd times, and when it did he had to just stare at her, wondering if she was even aware of what she was doing.

For instance, when she was tucked into his lap eating, she was giving him a show without even knowing it. The way she disregarded her fork and had dug into her food with her bare hands was sickening to witness at first. Even a brute like him had manners. But the more he watched her, the more enticing the scene became.

He recalled how slender and pale her fingers had appeared as they pinched apart segments of dark-colored steak and plucked cubes of thick potatoes from her plate in a decidedly girlish way. Even as she'd been ravenous in the way that she ate, he could catch little things that had him questioning her seductive prowess. Each time her petal-soft lips closed over her digits, he'd gotten more and more aroused. He'd tried to look away but then she'd make this sensual little noise, out of appreciation of the taste of food that had been denied her for so long no doubt. That would get his attention, and he'd be back to staring at her mouth. It got to the point to where he had to shut his eyes to refrain from knocking the tray out of her hands and doing something he might have half-regretted later on.

This was a constant thing that had started in the dungeons. When he was torturing her, cutting into her flesh and bruising her skin, she'd screamed and cried and begged for him to stop. It all just turned him on, as did her perpetual defiance. That constant cycle of wanting to fuck her one minute and fucking throttle her the next was intensely addictive, now that he thought on it. He'd never been this edgy around Peach. In fact, with the older blonde, things had been a lot more boring. The Mushroom Princess had barely touched a plate of food so he'd never known if she ate quite like this girl, and he hadn't done half of the things he'd wanted to with his new wife.

_It would seem that my obsession holds my interest no longer, _He frowned, _could it be that, with this new form, I crave a new obsession as well? What do I want from this girl?_

"Your Majesty."

Bowser glanced down at the marble floor where a group of Koopas were bowing. He waved his hand for them to get up and and waited for them to get on with what they wanted. He had to push the perplexing subject that he'd been pondering to the back of his mind.

"Sire," One of the Koopas said, "We've yet to make contact with His Youngest Majesty."

"Is that so?" Bowser frowned.

He'd forgotten about Junior's squad. He didn't even know that they'd gone looking for him, for he'd already assigned the task of investigating his son's disappearance to his Court of Magicians.

"We did find this," The Koopa added, "It was just a short distance away from where we last saw him in the Black Forest."

In his scaled hand the Koopa held a small item that Bowser's immediately recognized; it was Junior's crown. Though it was smudged with dirt all over, it still gleamed in that unmistakable way that a good crown ought to. Something in Bowser stirred at the sight of his only child's possession and, coupled with the knowledge that the boy may really be in some kind of danger, he began to feel unsettled.

_If he were going to return, he should have done it by now, _Bowser thought with the closest hint of emotion that resemble genuine worry. He frowned and countered that thought with, _perhaps he isn't a worthy heir after all. _

_But._

_Just in case. _

_Since he **is **my only child. _

_I'll see where he is, _he resolved within himself.

Bowser leaned forward and pressed his index fingers to his temples. He had a bit of magic in his personal arsenal, though it wasn't his to claim really. His magicians had given him a sort of fail-safe when Junior was born: on his infant body they set a magical brand, twin to the one on the back of Bowser's neck. This mark allowed him to track down the boy no matter where he was, at any and all times, from his birth to his death. So long as the king concentrated and channeled a bit of energy towards the mark, it worked.

This time it didn't.

He was receiving none of the telepathic signals like he should have been, and he didn't know why that was. Granted, there were magical wards all over the fortress since he'd initiated a palace-wide lockdown mode, but those wards shouldn't have inhibited this ritual in the slightest. The wards were for preventing anyone from intruding in on his home via magical means, and worked in conjunction with the sheets of metal that had been installed over all the outside doors and windows to keep any and everyone from getting in or out without his say-so.

_So why isn't this damn seal working? _

He narrowed his eyes and tried his hardest to reach out to his boy but each time he came up with no response whatsoever. This angered him. He stood from his throne and started striding silently, with that hard set to his mouth and that impassive look about him. He had to find out what happened to his heir.

"Good, another mystery; just what I fucking need right now," he grumbled to himself.

* * *

"Ow, ow, ow!"

"Junior, what's wrong?"

When she'd heard the youngest child's pained voice over the sound of her radio, Wendy hurried from her room to go investigate.

_I shouldn't have had it up so loud, _she chastened herself.

She couldn't help it though. Back in the Black Forest, she thought it'd been lost in the explosion. But then Iggy had claimed to hear voices as Ludwig had left them alone for a moment. The others had teased Iggy, telling him it was an early sign of madness, but soon Wendy heard the voices, too. Those voices were heavy and melodic and stuffed with static. That's when she'd begun to run towards the sound, and she'd not been disappointed. Still playing to its allegorical heart's content was the precious radio, covered in leaves and brambles and dirt. From then on, she'd kept the battery-operated keepsake near her.

The girl turned it off on her way out of her bedroom, though, and in the sudden quiet she could hear Junior start to cry. He'd cried a lot the first night, he missed his father. But each day he'd gotten better at either overcoming or masking his sadness. Right now, he sat on the floor working on a puzzle with Lemmy.

"What's going on?" She asked, "Lemmy, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" Lemmy cried in defense.

Larry came strolling into the front room with a red ball in hand, saying, "He's right, sis. He didn't do nothing."

"I was playing with Junior, and then he just started crying." Lemmy explained.

There were tears in the little red-head's jade eyes as he pressed his fingers into the back of his neck. Wendy came over to him and cupped his small face in both her hands.

"Junior, baby, what's the matter?" She asked gently.

She knew he wasn't her brother or even her family, but he was just a little kid and he was crying and curse her soft-heartedness; it just may be the death of her one day.

Junior swiped a hand across his face and said, "My neck, it was hurting so bad and I d-don't even know how come."

"Let me see," She offered.

Wendy lifted up the boy's thick, tangled red hair and took a look. Near his nape there was an intricate black mark, like a tattoo. She knew instantly what it was, for she and her brother were marked in a similar fashion. All her brother's took their marks on their shoulders while she had hers on the side of her right hip, much to Ludwig's chagrin.

The blue-haired enforcer had known she didn't want to be marked, or as she called it, 'branded like some wild animal', even when he tried to convince her it was for her own good. The two had reached a compromise: she could choose the design and location, so long as she agreed to accept the mark. She had chosen a pretty cursive 'W' and had picked a place she knew would get on his nerves.

_His father must have marked him, too, _she guessed, _since Junior is so small and is a prince and all._ _I wonder if this means he knows where we are? He must be trying pretty hard to reach Junior if his son is in pain. _

She knew from personal experience that the harder the person tried, the more that mark would tingle and eventually burn. Junior's crying was a sign of the Dark King's persistence and if he succeeded, Wendy had a feeling it could mean trouble for all of them.

"Does your neck still hurt?" She asked the small child warily.

Junior was already back at the puzzle with Lemmy, his tears still wet on his cheeks. He wore a bright beam, though, when he answered her.

"No, not no more!" he exclaimed, "It feels all, um, so much better now!"

_Maybe the king's stopped looking, _Wendy thought wistfully. She knew, however, that Junior was an incredibly exceptional child: the other day he'd taken on Morton and Roy in a fight. At the same time. And won. That being said, the girl could hardly see the Dark King abandoning his only son and heir.

"Winnie?" Junior suddenly asked.

"Wendy," the girl corrected. "What is it?"

"Um, I have a question." He spoke.

She said, "Okay. Go ahead."

"What is the time when I can go back and see my Daddy?" he asked, "I want to go over there and be with him now."

Wendy chewed on the corner of her bottom lip. _I knew this was coming, _she thought, _so what do I tell him? He's only five, I don't think it would be ethically right to say to a kid, 'your dad's a total bastard'. So what do I say? _

She took a breath and spoke gently, "You'll go back home soon."

"Soon when?" He then asked.

"After a while." She added.

"But I want to go soon now, not soon after while!" Junior cried plaintively, "I want my daddy because I miss him so bad!"

She went over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Junior was clearly upset but still, she didn't want to be the one to break the situation to him.

_If Ludwig doesn't do something, and quickly, _she thought, _Junior might just get his wish in the form of an...unwelcome visitor. _

* * *

It had been about two days since Bowser last came down here to grace me with his unique sort of presence. Since I wasn't being fed, I sort of just slept most of the time. Around my waist, tied onto my pants, I still had the canteen from when I was in battle with the-bastard-that-shan't-be-named. I wasn't searched when I was arrested so that water had lasted me up until now.

_So at least I wouldn't die of dehydration; not yet. _

Anyway, when I was in one of those rare wakeful moments, I heard the tell-tale door slamming open that signified Bowser's return. He really couldn't go anywhere without nearly tearing the door off the hinges first. He was looking pretty casual in his black silk pants and white, short-sleeved shirt. Even his long red hair was down.

It was no surprise to me when he jangled the key in the lock and then slung the bars to one side, making them rattle with the force behind his actions. He then closed those bars back and leaned against them with his arms folded. I pretended not to even notice him, just sat on the bench of a bed with my legs hanging down and my elbows planted on my legs, above my knees.

"Are you ready to talk?" He drawled.

"Not hardly." I responded.

"Really?" He asked flatly.

"Really." I replied in that same tone.

Bowser tilted his head and studied me a minute. His voice was contemplative when he spoke again.

"Do you like being down here?" He asked me.

I responded slowly. "As opposed to where?"

"Anywhere."

"Yes and no."

"Oh?" He quirked a brow.

"Down here is worse than being most places," I explained, "but it's still better than being anywhere near you."

Bowser's jaw twitched and he murmured, "I see."

"There is a girl...in my possession," The king then began, "a prisoner from the Mushroom Kingdom."

I immediately stiffened and looked up from the cradle of my hands. The king was looking pretty stony-faced, but I could still read him. He was baiting me. He wanted to get those answers from me and this was yet another tactic.

"What does this girl have to do with me?" I asked him carefully.

Bowser shrugged, "You tell _me_. I figured, being from the same pitiful kingdom, you two would be in cahoots. Am I wrong?"

I was silent.

Silence never incriminated anyone.

"So you don't know this girl, then?" Bowser stated more than asked. "Okay. I see."

He pushed himself off from the bars and said, "Well I guess it won't matter what I do to her, then."

"Don't."

_And there it is; I've given myself away. _

I couldn't help it though. This was Daisy we were talking about, _Daisy, _my Daisy. He had her with him and now he was smirking because he knew what she was to me just from the look that had stolen across my face for that split second.

"So you _do _know her." He declared, "What is she? Your lover?"

"What did you do to her?" I asked evenly.

_I can handle this; whatever's he's done to her, I can handle hearing it. I just have to know. _

Bowser's eyes narrowed as he stared past me, thinking of something else.

"Nothing she didn't bring on herself." He then told me.

I frowned, "And what does that mean?"

Now the king scowled at me, "It means, stupid boy, that whatever I did to the little wench, she provoked me to do it."

"You bastard!" I ground out, jumping down from the bench.

The only thing that stopped me was the fire that suddenly ignited in his outstretched palms. I didn't really want to get fried, not right now. But I did want to choke the life out of that filthy beast if he put his hands on Daisy.

"Don't get mad at me," He shrugged, "If the girl had given me the answers I wanted, I wouldn't have had to hurt her."

I clenched my hands into white-knuckled fists down at my sides. Bowser was keeping his features schooled, but I knew he was enjoying this. He was finally getting the reaction he wanted from me.

"I didn't want to hurt her," The king admitted, "No, there were other things I wanted to do. More...pleasant things."

_Ignore him, he's baiting you. _

"I could be good to her," He continued, "If she would just do as I ask."

_Ignore him. _

"I already let her stay in my chambers."

_Ignore him. _

"Sleep in my bed."

_Ignore. _

"I even got a taste of that..."

_Ignore. _

"Sweet little body."

_..._

And that was the last straw. I couldn't take it anymore. Everybody has a **limit** and when he started gloating about putting his nasty, dirty hands on the girl I loved, the only girl, no, _person _I felt like I really connected with on each and every level of my life; well.

That was mine.

The crunch I heard was satisfying, not sickening. And the blood that coated my knuckles; its sticky warmth didn't turn my stomach at all. Rather, it whetted my violent appetite for more of such visible evidence that I'd slighted the Dark King. I wanted to do things, evil and graphically sadistic things, for the first time in my life. I'd never been driven to this point of rage and unfortunately it only lasted a moment. After it'd passed, I stared at the glowering being that was cupping his hands to his nose, all crooked and flowing red, and I did feel some fear.

But not for myself.

* * *

**A/N: I just got back from my retreat a little while ago; it was a spiritual awakening :) if you want to know more about that, PM me!**

**As for the chapter, well, like Luigi said: everybody has a limit. How do you guys think this will pan out for him and what about Daisy? What do you think will happen with her? I'm almost 100% sure you won't guess what's coming next!**

**But by all means, do leave your guesses!**

**I'll see if I can update again today but to be honest, my final is tomorrow and I haven't finished studying (i.e., haven't _started_) So the next chapter might come tomorrow. We'll see.**

**Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	44. Chapter 44

**Sorry this took so long and thanks for bearing with me all this time! I appreciate you guys for being so faithful!**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Four**

* * *

So maybe breaking the Dark King's nose wasn't the best idea. I realized that now, in his absence. He'd been bloody and irate and had stormed out of my cell without another word. I didn't know what that meant for me and I hardly cared, really, because somewhere in this palace Daisy was here. I didn't want her to pay for my rash behavior. It would have been best for me to have just ignored him, or to have fought back with words like I usually did but when he started talking about Daisy I just couldn't take it anymore. I'd been pacing ever since he left and, now that I heard the door slam, I stopped in my tracks.

I was prepared for most anything he could throw at me. If he beat me, I'd fight back. If he threatened me, I'd remain unfazed. I stood now in front of the cell bars and tried to make my eyes see something in the pitch blackness. I didn't see anything, but I heard the familiar sound of his thudding boots.

"You know," The king called to me in the darkness, "After that little stunt you pulled, I wanted to beat the living hell out of you."

"I bet you did," I muttered to myself.

I strained my eyes once more but still couldn't see him. He was taking his time in getting to my cell, which only had me worried. He should be angry, He should want to kill me for what I did; why wasn't he making haste?

"But I knew that even if I did," The king continued, "It wouldn't do any good. Which is why I decided to try something a bit different."

He was nearing my cell, I could tell as much from his voice and how it'd gotten incrementally louder. Just when he reached me, I saw that he wasn't alone. Who was that, then, in the black robe? And why were they so far behind the king? Was it one of his magicians? No, this person was too short to be one of those wizened old men. So who was it?

Bowser unlocked my cell and slammed the door open, then reached behind him and grabbed this mystery person's shoulders. The person gave a small cry at the rough gesture and I froze.

No.

It couldn't be.

"Remove your hood," The king ordered of the person beside him.

They didn't obey, but the black thing came off of them anyway as they ran towards me. I was startled when two slender arms came up around my neck and then I got mad. Because there were bruises on those arms and I knew they had to have come from that demon standing across from me.

"What are you doing here?"

The girl in my arms wanted to know this. I wanted to answer her but I was getting mad all over again. On the spot between her neck and her shoulder there was a dark mark, just like the ones on her exposed midriff and on the inside of her left thigh. The one on her arm was definitely the worst but the fact that these marks existed only proved that the filthy royal had touched her; he wasn't lying when he said...

"Luigi."

Daisy had spoken to me again and her voice was enough to break that red haze that was beginning to cloud my vision again. I looked into her troubled light eyes and cupped her face.

"Are you alright?" She asked me.

"Don't worry about me," I told her quickly, "What happened to you? What did he do?"

The girl glanced at the Dark King and he smirked. She surprised me when she glared at him and met my gaze fiercely.

"Nothing I can't handle," She whispered bravely.

At that I was conflicted. My moment of silence gave way to her next question.

"Why are you here?" She asked me softly, "Where is Ludwig?"

Some sort of mental twitch; that's the sensation that hearing the traitorous young enforcer's name again brought on. I rubbed her hair down against her cheeks and kissed her forehead to dispel the negative emotions rising in me.

"Don't worry about him either." I told her. "It's just you and me from now on, alright."

She frowned, "Luigi, I don't understand."

"I know." I stated, "And I'll explain this more to you later. Why is there blood on you?"

Daisy said hurriedly, "It's not mine. It's his. I stabbed him."

"Stabbed him?"

"Yes."

"You?"

"Twice."

"Damn." I breathed, "I didn't know you were so...plucky."

"Neither did I," She admitted.

"Alright, that's enough whispering, you two." Bowser interjected.

He pushed himself off the bars he was leaning on and came towards us. Before he grabbed Daisy, I pushed a kiss against her cheek and then her lips. She tried to hold onto me but the king jerked her away.

"Leave her alone!" I scowled.

I didn't realize 'til I was there that I'd stalked right up to the Dark King again. He didn't seem intimidated, naturally, only smug.

"Oh, you don't like that?" He taunted, "So what will you do? Hit me again? Go right ahead. Whatever you do to me, she will suffer for it."

_And there it is; I knew that was coming. _

I stood down but glowered at him furiously. He had Daisy by the arm behind him and none-too-gently if her wince spoke for anything. The king's smugness was reaching its peak now because he knew he had me.

"I'll tell you what you want to know." I capitulated, "Just leave her alone."

Of course I wouldn't tell him the truth, not at all. I'd tell him something good and believable and I'd answer all his demands so long as he just took his hands off of her. He gazed down at me blankly and paused.

"No." He declared resolutely.

Bowser turned to Daisy and took a bit of her hair in between his thumb and index finger. She stiffened but didn't fight him, which confused me. I didn't doubt her in the way that a wary husband would a straying wife, but she told me she'd stabbed him. Twice. Why, then, was she freezing up now? What did he do to instill that sudden, intense fear within her?

"She probably didn't tell you this," The king stated, "But your lover...Daisy, was it? She owes me her life."

I frowned, "What are you talking about?"

Bowser took Daisy's hands, the both of them, and started brushing her knuckles across his lips. She was blinking a lot and wouldn't look at me: shame. Why was she ashamed? I was so confused and I hated it.

"What's he talking about, Daisy?" I asked gently.

_No matter what it is, I'm not gonna' be mad at you; I could never be mad at you, none of this is your fault, just tell me, please tell me what he did to you..._

Why I couldn't say this aloud was a mystery to me.

The girl opened her mouth and was about to speak to me but Bowser dropped one of her hands and pressed two fingers against her lips. She immediately stepped back and knocked his digits away, which only made him chuckle.

"So much boldness in such a small woman," He remarked, then to me he said, "I can see why she's yours. She's stubborn as all hell, like you."

_Good, _I thought pridefully.

"But she's more like me than either of you really know." The king claimed.

_Yeah right, _I scoffed in my head.

"At any rate," He continued, "She is to remain with me, to do with as I see fit; she is my prisoner, after all."

"No!" I shouted.

I lunged for him again and he caught the fist I threw, then tossed my arm aside. He tilted his head.

"That was your last warning," He said, "Try anything else and I'll make it so that she won't be able to sit for weeks."

I balled my fists and saw Daisy's eyes widen fearfully for a second. She schooled them back down to size in a show of neutrality but I knew she was scared. She shouldn't have to be, I should be getting her out of here. But so far I was failing.

"Why are you taking your frustration out on her?" I asked the despicable tyrant.

He shrugged, "Because I want to."

"Won't you take me instead?" I bargained.

"Enough of that!" He suddenly growled, "The girl belongs to me now, and if you hate it so much, perhaps you should have thought about this before you stole my woman."

"Peach?" I frowned.

He snapped impatiently, "Yes, you stupid boy, who else?"

Regaining his composure, Bowser stated, "You will stay here until I figure out what to do with you. I can guarantee that whatever I decide on, it won't be pleasant."

"Wait!" I called desperately because he was taking Daisy away.

She had this calculating look in her eyes, though, like she was coming up with something. As she was hauled out of my cell, she looked back at me and gave me a watery smile, mouthing something that might have been encouraging. Too soon she was gone again and I was alone.

I knew then that I was probably going to get executed or tortured, then executed. That was to be my fate, unless I came up with a way to escape first. However, that was a long shot, seeing as how I was still locked down here. But there was hope for Daisy. All I had to do was find some way to appeal to him...

_Appeal to the Lord of All Assholes, right. _

So maybe not appeal, but I'd have to do something for her.

* * *

_I have to do something for him. _

Luigi was the only thing on her mind, and that was saying a lot: At the moment she was naked in the tub with the Dark King not too far away in the bedroom. Normally this would have unnerved her but now she could only worry about the young man of her affections, her hero and friend Luigi.

_What is he doing here? And why is he mad at Ludwig? _

From his body language, this much was evident. The question was, why was he writing the enforcer off? Had Ludwig betrayed him as well? What in the world had happened that would leave Luigi in Bowser's dungeons?

_Bowser said that Luigi did something that made him want to beat him; what did Luigi do? And why isn't the king punishing him? _

Oh right, she realized, the king was using her as a means to torment Luigi. Of course. That still didn't tell her what her boyfriend had done to make the king so angry in the first place. She pieced together the bits of dialogue from that harrowing trip to the dungeon and then frowned.

_From what I can tell, _she mused, _Bowser must think that Luigi and I are responsible for Peach's escape, which is sort of true. And he's punishing Luigi through me, that much has been established. So what is he planning to do? And what can I do for Luigi? Should I...petition the king or something? Would that even work? I'm kinda' on thin ice as it is, seeing as how he spared my life. _

She scoffed.

_As if that was a kindness; he only did it so that he could torture me some more. But I'm not really complaining. _

Daisy sank down lower in the water, as low as she could without getting the hair at the back of her neck wet. Currently she'd knotted her brown locks in a bun at the top of her head. She had her legs crossed and now stretched them out with her back against the cool tub's rim. She didn't know why the thing was so huge, but she wouldn't complain about that, either.

The first thing Bowser did when he brought her from the cells was heal her. Or rather, have his magicians heal her. She could clearly tell they didn't want to, but they grudgingly obeyed their king. After that, Bowser had taken her back to his bedroom, shoved some clothes in her hands, and told her to bathe. And although he'd told her to be quick about it, she was going on nearly an hour already.

_I'll try to plead Luigi's case, even if it doesn't work I have to try. I have to do at least that. _

The girl jumped suddenly at the loud banging on the bathroom door. Water splashed over the side of the tub as she righted herself. The way the king was handling the door, she was surprised it was still on its hinges; the thing was rattling violently.

"Stop that!" She shouted, completely shaken up.

"Hurry the hell up," He called on the other side.

She narrowed her eyes and snapped, "I'm nearly finished!"

"Nearly's not finished," He pointed out, "Now get out!"

There was a pause until he added, "Or would you have me come in there and get you?"

"No." She muttered.

"I can't hear you, precious." He spoke, teasingly now.

Daisy would have retorted, only the door began to smoke: he was burning a hole through it, near the knob. She gasped in horror and sank down to her chin in the warmness around her.

"Alright!" She cried, "I'm getting out!"

There was an immensely self-satisfied chuckle on his end, but he stopped nonetheless. Daisy shivered and steadied her nerves once more before climbing out the tub. She had to lean on the wall not to fall, what with her wobbly legs. But she soon got a hold of herself.

The girl crossed the expansive bathroom and stood in a towel in front of the mirror; well, one of the many that were there. This mirror sat above the sink, and while she dried off, she studied herself. There were no bruises on her body save for the one at the valley between her neck and shoulder. That was the only mark the Dark King ordered his magicians not to heal. It sickened her.

Once she'd dried off, she set the towel back on the edge of the sink where she found it and looked over to the top of the porcelain commode. That was where she'd lain the bundle of clothes she was given. On top was a pair of underwear, seemingly innocent enough. Just plain silk and lace, a pretty canary yellow color. The bottoms fit her more like a pair of small shorts and the top was fashioned like a sort of halter top of a bra. What occurred to her next sort of scared her: these garments fit her like a glove, which meant they must have been tailored for _her _and not Peach. She didn't know what this entailed, exactly, but she knew it was nothing good.

With a shudder she moved on to the rest of the outfit; it was nothing like she'd ever seen really. A connected piece of clothing it was, like a dress, only this thing was tight and made like shorts at the bottom and a shirt at the top. It was silk and flowed like water against her palms as she turned it over in her fingers.

_How do I put this on? _

She saw the answer in the form of a series of tiny buttons in the front, going down from the collar to the sewn-in red band along the waist, just above the bottom part. She blew out a breath because she could tell already that the garment was incredibly, inappropriately short and it wasn't even on yet.

Daisy jumped but not as much as last time when Bowser rapped at the door again.

She stuck her feet into the outfit one at a time and then pulled it up so that she could push her arms through. When it was settled correctly on her, she found that she was right. It was barely covering her butt, much to her dismay. Her only comfort was that nothing was on display at the top, except for a bit of her neck. She buttoned the outfit and straightened the stiff, unfolded collar, then smoothed over the fabric and tugged at the silk hemming at the backs of her legs. No matter what she did, it wouldn't get any longer.

This outfit was pretty, she would admit. It was something she'd wear when she wanted to impress a special someone; Luigi no doubt. She smiled wistfully at the thought of seeing his reaction to her wearing it. All her ridges and curves and contoured planes were blatant under the stretchy fabric. It clung to her body attractively and made her fidget.

_Luigi's not gonna' see me in this, though; the nasty king is, _she thought, and that wiped the soft smile right off her face. She frowned and again tried tugging at the hem of her shorts to no avail.

"I'll give you three seconds before I come in there." Came the king's curt threat.

Daisy sighed and knew she had to get this over with. She had been a bit cowed, earlier, what with her death nearly imminent. But now she was feeling more compelled to rebel against the king than ever. It might have had something to do with the fact that Luigi was here, stuck in a cell while she roamed free.

_I'm gonna' help him, someway, _she avowed.

The girl turned the knob and stepped out of the bathroom before the king had a chance to come in. She cleared her face of any emotion and stood before him.

Bowser regarded her silently for a moment. He dragged his jade eyes over the crown of her head down to her bare feet and back up again. She forced herself to stand there stolidly under his scrutiny.

"Come here," He ordered, reaching behind her to shut the door to the bathroom.

She followed him over to the bed, where he sat. She swallowed hard and stepped in front of where his had his legs opened.

"Turn around," He told her, "Slowly."

Daisy was puzzled but did as he said, shuffling her feet so that she made a lazy revolution. When she faced him yet again, he had his elbows on his knees and his fingers tented in front of his face with his eyes closed. She stopped moving and regarded him, hoping she hadn't made him angry somehow. He was so unpredictable sometimes. Most times.

Bowser stood and Daisy used her will not to take a step backwards. She watched him run his hands over his face and gaze at her with an expression that was hard to decipher; it was a mix of desire and frustration and some other, sinister emotions privy only to him and his complex mind.

"If only I had known," He murmured, taking her by the waist.

He ducked his head down and kissed her temple, saying, "If only I'd known such a treasure was right here this whole time."

When the king started kissing her jawline she drew the line, pushing her hands against his chest. He pulled back and smirked down at her, unrepentant.

"I have to meet with one of my allies." The royal told her, "If you're wise, you'll stay in this room until I return."

Daisy blinked.

"If you _do_ decide to do something foolish," He drawled, "there are four guards outside this door that would love to break every single bone in your body."

At that she shuddered; she didn't doubt his words for a moment. She knew that his Koopas could be just as brutish as him and wouldn't want to come near them unless she absolutely had to.

_I won't try to escape this time, _she decided, _it's not worth it. I'd only get mangled for sure. _

Having issued his warning, Bowser forced one last deceptively tender kiss onto the side of her head and then sauntered out the room. Only when the door slammed shut did she release a deep breath and let her shoulders sag.

"What am I gonna' do?" She lamented.

The girl sank down onto the side of the bed and brought her hands up to her face. She sat there rubbing her eyes and thinking hard.

_If I attack him again, he'll definitely kill me, _she knew, _but if I don't do anything at all, he'll only keep hurting me and Luigi. _

A comb on the vanity caught her eye and she sighed before going over to it. Her pain was gone but her body was weary, stressed. She plopped down onto the stool in front of the vanity and met her own eyes in the mirror. Without a second thought she un-knotted her hair started dragging that fancy comb through it slowly. She had to close her eyes because her mind was singing at the sensation of the hard, wooden teeth massaging her scalp with each stroke. Her nerves relaxed surely as she kept working through the dark locks.

_It's gotten longer, _she noted of her hair, _but my ends are all split and rough. I wonder if there's any scissors or a blade...wait a minute...of course there isn't, not after what I did last time. _

She had to smile wryly because when Luigi had heard of this, he'd called her plucky. It described her well, since she was a small girl intent on riding horses and climbing trees instead of sewing or taking tea with the other females.

Bold as she was, though, she knew her resolve would only last so much longer in the face of such stalwart opposition.

* * *

"I know you're probably angry with me, still."

"Probably?!"

"And for that, you're somewhat justified. I suppose."

"..._Somewhat justified?_"

"But I've come to make good on a promise."

"Oh really now?"

"Since you've made good on yours."

"Won't you get to the point, already?"

I knew I was being rude and I didn't really care. Ludwig was lucky I didn't hop off this metal bed and break something on that nonchalant face of his. He was wisely standing a good distance away from me, leaning on the bars of the cell. He didn't know it but that was the same position the Dark King favored whenever he came down to visit me.

The enforcer told me flatly, "As much as you doubt it, I _am_ a man of my word, Luigi."

I scoffed and muttered, "So you say."

"It is so." He insisted, "And you'll see very soon what I mean."

* * *

When she was done in her task, about an hour later, her mind was significantly clearer and calmer. She'd mellowed out a lot. With her head in her hands at the vanity she slouched, drifting asleep and thinking of nothing, really. It was a blissful state to be in, compared to her last harrowing series of events.

However, there was a sudden knock at the door that made her jolt.

_Who in the world could that be? _

Definitely not Bowser. He was king and his pride would never allow him to knock on any door in the palace. It probably wasn't the guards, either; they had no reason to bother her so long as she stayed in this room. So who was it? A servant perhaps?

_Maybe they're bringing me something to eat, _she mused wistfully: she could only hope this was the case.

The girl crossed the room and hesitantly opened the door, bracing herself for whatever was on the other side. She could not have expected this person, this enigmatic and loathsome and elusive creature, to have been the one standing before her. He looked smooth an aloof and so untouched by this ugly, tumultuous war in his sharp Sarasaland uniform; the grey and black and navy and gold indicating his status as Commander Elite. The only thing out of place, but rightly so, was his tangled cerulean hair. He tilted his head and appraised her as she stood, wide-eyed, in the doorway.

"If you're trying your hand at seduction," He spoke softly, "you certainly look the part."

Daisy had braided and un-braided and braided and un-braided her hair, then had tied the heavy curls up in a messy sort of bun behind her head. With the locks mostly out of her face, there was nothing to hide the immediate flush of pink that sprung into her cheeks at the enforcer's words. He didn't seem to notice this as he stepped past her, but she shut the door behind him knowing he had indeed seen the evidence of her embarrassment.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him.

Ludwig crossed the room and began to pace the floor in front of the king's bed. It was a dizzying thing to watch, she knew, as she sat down across from him. The mattress yielded to her weight and the sheets felt cool against the bare backs of her knees.

"You're still alive, I see." He remarked, ignoring her and not for the first time.

She rolled her eyes and bit out, "I am, no thanks to you."

"I heard you stabbed the bastard," He smirked, "Twice."

"Who told you that?" She wanted to know.

"He did." Ludwig answered, "He won't stop speaking of you to me. He thinks I desire you."

"Do you?" She ventured half-heartedly.

He glanced at her briefly and said, "Whether I do or not is irrelevant."

Daisy then asked, "He asked me if you were my lover."

"So he's questioned you?"

"He's been questioning me for days now," She stated, "Where have you been?"

"Most everywhere," Ludwig answered.

Daisy stated, "I thought you abandoned me. Or forgot about me or something."

"Sweetheart, I never forget anything."

"Well then why didn't you come for me?" She asked accusingly, "Why did you take Peach out of here and not me?"

The enforcer explained, "At the moment, Peach's escape was nearly a botched attempt in itself and I'll admit that didn't go as planned."

_Luigi got arrested during that time, _she surmised, _I wonder what else went wrong? _

Aloud she inquired, "So why didn't you come back for me, after you'd gotten Her Majesty out?"

"That may have been my intention, you see," He started, "But those wards prevented me."

"What wards?"

"The ones surrounding and permeating the palace." He elucidated. "After Peach escaped, the bastard locked down his fortress and had his Court prevent anyone from teleporting in or out of here."

"Oh," She said softly. "I didn't know that."

"You should have, being on the inside." The enforcer chided.

"Well I didn't." She snapped in irritation, "I mean, I haven't exactly had time to take in what's going on around here. Half the time I was locked in a horrid cell while his Court tortured me, and the rest of the time I've been here."

"You do know why you're here, right?" Ludwig then asked her.

She frowned and shook her head, which made him shake his own and make a little noise of immense disappointment. He stopped pacing and stood in front of her, folding his arms and narrowing his eyes.

"Such a clever little thing you are," He spoke, "And yet you can't see what's unfolding in front of you, even when it directly involves yourself and the Dark King."

_If he's used Bowser's infamous pseudonym and not 'bastard', this must be something serious, _she noted.

"What are you talking about?" She asked with a hint of dread.

The young Commander Elite said, "Have you noticed anything strange about the way he treats you?"

"Bowser?"

"Yes."

"Not really."

Ludwig drew in another long-suffering breath through his nose and gazed at her as a teacher would a particularly slow learner.

"Torture and interrogation; that's standard protocol for a king against a prisoner." He stated curtly, "Would you say his behavior towards you reflects this?"

"I guess so." She frowned.

_Where is he going with this?_

"I'm gonna' need you to be more specific," The enforcer implored.

Daisy wrung her hands and said, "Well, at first, he was really cold and blatant and impersonal when he tortured me in those c-cells."

The girl paused and forced the tremor from her voice; it had arisen in concurrence with those wretched memories.

In an even tone she added, "But then he moved me here and started tormenting me in a different way."

"Articulate."

"He uh," She stammered.

_How am I supposed to put into words the __verbal and physical __sexual onslaught I've had to endure? How do I tell him what an aggressive predator the Dark King fashioned himself into once I refused to yield to him? _

The girl swallowed and said, "He started using his body against me."

And that was all she needed to say for that light to spark in Ludwig's sharp emerald eyes. He gazed hard at her. After a long moment of scrutiny he spoke.

"His abuse tactics have changed because his motives have changed."

She frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Ludwig said, "he isn't trying to get answers from you anymore."

"But I thought he wanted-"

"You have no idea what he wants."

"And you do?"

"Of course," Ludwig replied coolly. "Yes, he does want to get to the bottom of that whole poisoning debacle, and he wants to know what happened to Peach and his son."

"Something happened to Junior?"

"Please stay focused."

"Right."

Ludwig continued with, "Essentially he does intend to get those answers from you, but that's not the driving factor behind his behavior anymore."

"Then what is?" She asked.

"His desire to corrupt you."

So simple and plain he'd made that answer out to be. Daisy mulled over his words and tried to match them with the king's recent attitude. So far, they were ringing true.

"I can't fault him too much for that," Ludwig spoke, almost to himself, "It is a tempting ambition, after all."

"Huh?"

"To rid you of whatever goodness prevails within in order to augment those parts of you that resemble himself; it would be a rewarding venture, were he to succeed."

Daisy watched as Ludwig's features became more and more contemplative. He observed her sideways as he slowed in his gait.

"And what a fitting equal you would become then," He breathed softly, "Shorn of those righteous inhibitions that ultimately hold you back. What perfection you'd surely be..."

"Ludwig?"

"Yes?"

"You're not talking about the Dark King anymore, are you?" She asked in a quiet, shrewd tone.

"...and if I weren't?" He probed.

She took a shuddering breath and said, "Then. Then I wouldn't know how to feel around you anymore."

"Would you fear me as you fear him?"

"I don't know." she replied honestly.

He smirked, "Then it's a good thing I was speaking hypothetically, in regards to the bastard and his motives."

_No he wasn't, _her good sense insisted, _he was speaking for himself. _

"How do you know of this?" she asked uneasily, "Of his motives?"

"He's made them clear," Ludwig answered, "Didn't you hear me when I told you he was under the impression I desire you? He tells me things all the time, of what he's done and wants to do to you, in an effort to bring about my envy or perhaps my self-incriminating ire."

"I see." She murmured.

"But enough of that." He then declared, "There is a meeting going on and I've left it quite abruptly."

"Not that you care."

"Not that I care." He affirmed, "However, the bastard already suspects me so I must play the role of his protege a little while longer."

As the enforcer turned to leave, Daisy called out to him, halting him in his advance towards the door.

"Knowing, uh," She struggled, "all that you've told me, what should I do now?"

"Nothing." He advised, "Don't let on that you're privy to any of this, don't try escaping, and for everyone's sakes, **don't** stab him. Infatuated as he may be, he might actually murder you if you do that again."

"Did he say that?"

"He intimated it, yes." Ludwig responded.

Before he shut the door he bade her, "I'll return in two days: try to stay alive 'til then."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Go ahead and leave a review about what you think of this chapter, or the story in general. I hope you didn't find it as redundant as I did while writing it ^_^; **

**So do you guys think Ludwig will come through and come back for Daisy? Will Bowser let her go? What about Luigi, what do you think will happen to him? **

**In the next chapter, it will be revealed. Sort of. We'll definitely check in with the reunited Peach and Mario, and see how he feels about his 'little brother' trapped in the belly of the beast. So until then!**

**~DymondGold~**


	45. Chapter 45

**Thanks for reading and reviewing everybody! **

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Nintendo and its creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Five **

* * *

When he came for the boy, Ludwig was met with an unsettling sight. There, curled up next to his only sister, was Junior. He clung to her in sleep like an infant would its mother and the picture the two of them made greatly disconcerted him for some reason. He had only just arrived back at the bunker, having spent hours at Bowser's palace making plans to attack the Mushroom Kingdom once more in the near future; the young enforcer would sooner eat his own two hands before he carried them out but he had to do what was necessary to ensure that the Dark King remained trusting of him.

_And there's but one more thing to do to cement his trust in me, _the young man knew.

Sitting through an arduously long meeting, listening to his Court blather on, had been hell. Going into immense detail about when and where and how hard he would have his men strike was also a laborious and tedious task. Hearing about what Bowser had done already and would do to his 'favorite little prisoner' was slightly more interesting, but vastly unoriginal and time-consuming. Now came the quickest and easiest part of his mission thus far.

Ludwig crossed his younger sister's carpeted floor and crouched near her bed. She had the comforter up to her chin, nearly covering the crown of Junior's head. The enforcer pulled the blanket down past the child's tangled red mess of hair and then began prying his arms from around his sister's waist. The boy was small but well-built for a little child of five, and offered a good amount of resistance as he became more and more lucid.

"Nooo," He wailed tiredly.

His plaintive cries, soft as they were, woke Wendy. She blinked and gazed first at the boy, then at her brother, and back at Junior before she settled her clear blue eyes on Ludwig.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You do know it's like, two in the morning?"

"I know."

"Oh, okay. So you _did_ know you were barging into my room at this ungodly hour, you just didn't care. I get it."

"None of that please, Wendy."

"What do you want?"

"Get him up for me, will you?" Ludwig spoke in a testy tone.

Wendy frowned but obeyed her brother; she sat up with her feet over the side of her bed and Junior in her lap. The boy hooked his legs around her middle and buried his face in the side of her neck. Ludwig sighed.

"Wake him up."

"Why?"

"Stop questioning my authority." The young man ordered wearily, "Just...give him to me."

"Why?"

Ludwig took the child from her arms and he immediately snapped his eyes open, knowing that this person wasn't nearly as warm and comforting. In the enforcer's hold Junior pulled back and blinked.

"Hello." He croaked, "Where you taking me?"

"To your father."

Wendy asked in surprise, "You are? Why?"

"The bastard is starting to doubt me; returning his son will set him at ease." The enforcer explained.

"You gonna' take me to my Daddy?" Junior smiled slowly, "I am glad! I miss him, you see."

"I bet you do," Ludwig muttered.

_Brainwashed little spawn, _he thought to himself.

He shifted the boy to his side and regarded his sister. With a scowl he noted she was clad in a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a plain white t-shirt that looked like it belonged to Larry or Lemmy.

"Get dressed," He told her.

"I am." She insisted. "Why?"

"Dressed and clothed aren't the same thing." He pointed out with a hint of frustration.

"Why am I getting _dressed _then?" She persisted.

"Because you're coming with me: I have a job for you."

That had her interested.

She went over to her dresser while Ludwig held Junior and began rummaging through her drawers. She pulled a bundle of black garments from a few of them and then left the room, presumably to change in the bathroom. Ludwig waited impatiently and when she returned, he stared disapprovingly at her.

"What?" She scoffed, folding her arms in the doorway.

The enforcer didn't know what was worse: those small denim shorts or the clingy black snake-skin pants and fitted black t-shirt. This one wasn't so tight as the other one, at least, so he took solace in that. He watched her yank open her closet door and push her feet into a pair of dull-heeled, black boots.

"Junior's a good little kid," She remarked, "I'd hate to see him end up like his...like you-know-who." _  
_

She veiled her words, for the child was awake and exceptionally bright.

Ludwig led his sister out of her room and offered his hand, fully prepared to teleport the three of them somewhere miles away. At her words he was provoked to thought. _  
_

Just as she took his hand he spoke, saying, "If I am successful, that will never happen."

* * *

If she wasn't careful, she might mistake those horrendous weeks under the Dark King's captivity as one awful, incredibly realistic nightmare. It was so easy to do it, especially now that she was back in her palace, roaming the empty halls at this late hour. Having bathed in jasmine and garbed herself in her familiar pink and white silk hues, she was feeling more like herself. Add to the fact that not a thing within the palace seemed out of place and the clever illusion was nearly complete.

But outside the palace was where the inconsistencies lay.

Her kingdom was on edge and in shambles, in some parts. The war had dealt its hardest blows to the areas along the southern and western borders, but the neighborhoods near the outskirts had taken a lot of damage as well. The interior was the least affected, thanks to Mario's valiant efforts at keeping the fighting as far from the area as possible. But where there were few visible signs of ruin, the effects manifested themselves in the changed atmosphere and behavior of her denizens. From the Great War people were just beginning to heal, so this new war had almost been too much for them. However, they had a strong leader guiding them and she had no doubt they'd recover in time.

_It was real, _she thought resolutely to herself, _it was all real. All those terrible things really did happen. I was forced into marriage, my homeland was nearly ravaged on several occasions, and my friends...oh, my friends. _

Luigi was still trapped in the palace, she knew he had to have been arrested that night she was rescued. And that was why she was heading to find her fiance at this moment, having arrived back days ago but still awaiting his return from an offensive campaign.

_I wonder what he will say when he sees me, _she thought worriedly, _I can't hide the shame I feel for what I've done; or didn't do, I should say. I had ample room to attack the Dark King, I could have killed him on many occasions, but I didn't. I'd been too weak. And now people are yet suffering because of my, my ineptitude. _

When she got to the back doors of the castle, the ones that led to the royal stables, she hesitated. She had failed to do what was ultimately right for her people and she didn't know if she could handle facing Mario and his inevitable, rightful judgement. While he'd been fighting tirelessly, she'd been letting the evil tyrant seduce her and nearly have his way.

_I must face him, _she decided gravely.

And with that she pulled open one of the double doors and stepped outside. Picking up the hem of her long nightgown, she made her way across the dewy expanse of grass and stood near the stables' entrance. It may have been an hour, two, or three before she saw the colored steeds billowing her way from beyond the horizon. At the sight of them her heart gave a start and she craned her neck to catch a glimpse of...yes! There he was, her fiance, leading the pack as he ought to. There was a hard look she mistook for reproach, no doubt towards the woman his eyes were locked onto, she thought in her mind. As he got closer, she braced herself for his inevitable backlash.

The woman pursed her lips and stood with her back erect as the wind around her picked up, a direct response to the incoming troops and the horses they rode that pounded the earth below. She kept her eyes on those icy blue ones, not noticing until he was a few feet away that there were tears in them.

Before his steed fully stopped he dismounted and bounded over to her, bypassing some of his men and all-out shoving others in his haste to get to her. She swallowed hard and stared at him as he approached, willing herself to take whatever was coming to her, be it harsh words or even a strike she felt she deserved. Very nervously she was wringing her hands and thinking of the words to say to get him to somehow forgive her for-

Shock.

That was what overcame her in the next instant.

Pure shock.

And then the tears came, because there was no way he was kissing her so passionately right then. In the aftermath of her torment she had forgotten. She had forgotten what love was. True love, that made a grown man, leader over an entire country and its armies, hardened by not one but _two _wars; it would have this very same man break down and lose himself in a kiss so powerful, so emotionally raw and honest that she nearly swooned. _I miss you, _that kiss told her, _I love you, _it screamed. She'd thought he'd hit her but there was no aspect of aggression in the way he cupped the flat of his palms against either side of her head and moved his mouth ardently against hers.

It wasn't long before he moved his arms to wrap around her and for the first time since this ordeal began, Peach actually felt safe again. With his lips on her forehead and her body hugged close to his own, close to his heart, she finally felt safe.

"My God, I didn't think it was true," Mario whispered in a voice laden with tears he just might shed.

He trembled just a bit as he added, "They told me you were back but I didn't. I thought that."

Overcome once more, he dipped his head down and embraced her again. She shook just as bad as he because she still had a hard time fathoming that this was really happening.

"Mario," She breathed once they were apart, "I'm so sorry. I could've, I could have done so much but I was weak and I-"

"You stop it!" He hissed in a whisper, "You stop that right now!"

The plumber-turned-prince declared, "I don't care what happened in that hell-hole of a palace over there but you are _not _weak, you hear me? You are _not_. So don't let me catch you apologizing about anything you endured again, understand?"

"But I-" She futilely protested.

"No!" He cut in, "I don't wanna' hear it. You did what you could and if anyone faults you, let them answer to me."

Peach sniffed and let the matter end there. She hugged her fiance tightly then, but then suddenly pulled back.

"Mario, your brother! He's still there!" She cried urgently, "Luigi is still there; we have to go get him."

"You have to stay here," He corrected, "You just got back and I'll be damned if I lose you again."

"But he got caught trying to help me." She frowned.

"Don't worry," Mario assured her, "I'm gonna' go myself and see about my brother. But you stay here and stay hidden. Don't let him take you again while I'm gone, alright?"

"How will you save him?" Peach asked after nodding her assent.

Mario sighed and said, "Right now I don't know, but I'll figure something out."

And as he led his fiancee into the castle, he thought more on the matter. He didn't know how it happened but the woman he loved was here, back in his arms, and he knew he had his brother to thank, in some way. Now his brother was trapped himself. Mario knew he would help, there was no question of that, but he didn't know if he'd make it in time. Luigi was no Peach, Bowser didn't have some sexual obsession like he did towards her: at least, not that he knew of. Therefore, his brother was in greater risk of being killed than she was, especially now that the object of the crooked king's twisted affections was gone.

_Hang in there, little brother, _Mario thought desperately, _I don't know how, but I'm gonna' get you out of there, even if it kills me. _

* * *

She was still sort of asleep when she felt it, that dip in the bed behind her. It was so late, or early, depending on how one would look at it. Either way, she was tired. And full. While Bowser was away at his meeting with Ludwig, someone had been by to bring her a meal. It was a delicious variety of meat and some kind of cheese, vegetables, fruit, and warm bread. She'd devoured it all, but hadn't drank the wine provided her. If she was to remain in the company of the Dark King, she'd not be fool enough to compromise her sobriety. With it was her will and resolve, something she couldn't inhibit no matter how thirsty she may have been. And she had been thirsty; so much so that she'd settled for drinking handfuls of water from the bathroom sink since nobody would bring her any.

After eating, she felt herself become sluggish. The normal sort of sluggish, not drug-induced weakness. It was the same feeling she got after eating a lot of turkey during the Fall Festival feasts back when she lived in Sarasaland. This sensation provoked her to sort through those drawers at the vanity until she found a plain shirt and some shorts to get comfortable in. Having changed and let down her hair, she reluctantly moved over to the floor where the silk comforter still lay in a heap. She joined that heap and was slumbering shortly after. But now she was awake.

And in the bed.

_His _bed.

He was there as well, his body had created that depression in the mattress behind her. The girl blinked blearily, wondering what happened and how she came to be so nicely settled up there.

_It does feel nice to actually sleep in a good bed, _she thought, _but I can't stay here. _

Daisy moved from her side onto her stomach, and then pushed herself onto all fours. She started to crawl over to the edge but something stopped her; a hot, heavy hand clamping around her left ankle.

"Where are you going, precious?" that deep voice rumbled.

She stiffened and blinked even more, becoming increasingly alert the more her eyes opened and closed. She sat back on her heels with the hopes that this would make the king remove his hand, but, as she was starting to learn, hoping was not a wise pastime when in the company of the Dark King: he let her ankle go but walked his two fingers lazily up her backside.

Immediately she smacked his hand away and turned around to glare at him. Her narrowed light eyes let him know just how much she appreciated his 'wake-up call'. Her ire only amused him, for he reached forward and tucked his thumb under her chin.

"You didn't look very comfortable on the floor." He told her.

She raised her chin up off of his nail and said, "I was. More than I'd ever be in any place next to _you_."

"Is that so?" He crooned.

She nodded.

Bowser said, "Well that's unfortunate, but you're staying with me."

"No."

"No?" He whispered, "You will do as I say."

"No." She repeated.

It was easy to be rebellious once she got into the swing of things; starting off the defiance was harder than sticking with it. She leveled him with another glare but all he did was grin.

"You insist on trying my patience, don't you?" He spoke, "And why?"

She was silent, warily so. Bowser was so brief in the way that he ran his fingers along her cheek that she didn't have time to swat at them. He then posed another question.

"You fear me, don't you?"

"You're a monster," She replied, "You beat me and tried to kill me."

"Little girl, I don't try." He corrected. "I chose to spare your life. And if I were you, I'd start acting a bit more grateful."

If he was trying to daunt her with this looming threat, it wasn't working. Especially in light of all that Ludwig had told her, added to the fact that he was lying about the guards being outside his door earlier in the night; when she'd let in the young enforcer, there was no one around. So in short, she was hardly afraid to give him a piece of her mind.

"I have nothing to be grateful for," She told him coldly, "Not where it involves you."

"Bold words," Bowser remarked, "But they belie your naivety; perhaps I should show you how wrong you are."

He'd done a lot of things to her over the course of her captivity, but never something as bold and intrusive as grabbing her by the arm, pulling her into his lap and kissing her full on. She'd not been faced with this side of him before. He wasn't sensual or teasing in the way he smothered that kiss onto her, he was brutal. Domineering. Vicious. She pushed her free hand against his chest but that was like pushing against a brick wall. He wouldn't budge, unless it was to tilt his head so as to violate her more with that hot tongue of his. The king had his fingers buried deep in her hair, nearly uprooting her follicles with her every attempt to turn her head away. For a moment she felt totally helpless, impotent, scared, and powerless.

And then she got mad.

_What right does he have?! W__hat right has he to do this to me? I don't care if he **is** king, he can't just abuse me like this! _

Using that mounting anger to her advantage, Daisy bit down hard on the royal's tongue in her mouth and he instantly recoiled. Her head snapped to the side when he slapped her hard, and even though her teeth rattled and her temples throbbed, she snapped her head right back and faced her adversary. Like a demon her eyes shone with the fury of hell and she bent her fingers over into claws before attacking him.

To say Bowser was taken aback by the scratches he soon received was an understatement, but by the time he'd seized her wrists and thus stopped her assault, he was smirking again.

"Look at _you_," He whispered, "Look at you!"

She was breathing heavily and was hot all over from the ebbing flames of her powerful ire. The girl's breaths came in shallow pants and her heart was racing, pounding, skipping beats. She was still very scared and on edge, hyper aware of everything: from the silk sheets that stuck to her clammy, sweaty thighs to the weight of her long hair hanging limply next to her flushed and burning cheeks. Bowser noted all this and was grinning again.

"Look at you," He repeated, "If I knew this was what it took to get you wild, I'd have fucked you when I had the chance."

"You'll never get the chance." She spat back in a voice that was closer to a growl than she would've liked.

This pleased the king to no end. He chuckled and fell onto his back, tucking his arms behind his head once there.

"I take that back," He stated, saying, "seeing as how I still, and always will, have the chance. You're my prisoner, girl, and now that you've had a taste of the real monster I could be, why don't you make things easier for us both and just do as I say."

"No!" She hissed, "Never!"

"Oh? So you _want_ me to hurt you?" He murmured. "Is that what you want? What you like? Do you like it when I'm rough with you?"

Daisy gazed at him, horrified and indignant and enraged that he would suggest that. She didn't think twice, lest she lose her nerve, when she cracked her palm across his face.

"I am **not **like you," She ground out.

He flinched more out of anger than pain, but his anger was fleeting. That sadistic gleam crept back into his jade eyes and he yanked her down again by the back of her neck.

"Oh, but you are," He spoke in a low, husky tone, "just look at you, you violent little thing."

"I'm not like you!" She cried, more loudly this time as she wrested herself away from him.

"Choke me." He ordered abruptly.

Daisy eyed him in a bewildered way from her perch atop him and trembled. When he ordered her again to choke him, she had to voice her confusion.

"What?"

"Choke me," He demanded, "Wrap your hands around my throat and strangle the life out of me; or at least try to."

_He's crazy...he really is crazy..._

"I know you want to do it," He murmured, "It would feel so good, too, wouldn't it? Almost as good as when you stabbed me."

Her breathing hitched when she declared, "Stop trying to manipulate me."

"Stop suppressing your own desires." He retorted sultrily. "Give in to them and then you'll see you're no better than me."

"Let me go."

Only when she had tried to rise up off him did she realize he had a vice grip on her hips.

"No," He refused, "I don't think we're finished here."

"Let me go!" She shouted.

Bowser slapped her again and shoved her off of him, but only to cover her body with his own. He was absolutely feral in the way that he released small grunts and sharp growls as he combated her nails. She was trying to claw at his face again or gouge out his eyes or do something, some kind of damage because he was on top of her and her legs were parted for him and he was relentless in his assailing this time.

"Be still!" he griped while wrestling with her hands.

"No!" She cried back.

He'd overwhelmed her and, like a cornered animal, she was fighting back with all she had. He was terrifying her with his persistence; it seemed like he'd had enough and would actually rape her this time. He was already biting at the skin on her waist as he used his teeth to lower the waistband of her shorts. He would have torn them off with his hands but she was prevailing in keeping them at bay.

And then; salvation.

This time in the form of a mad banging on the door.

Bowser's head whipped over to the source of the sudden noise and with this new distraction, Daisy brought her knees up and over the edge of the bed. She had a lot of strength in those slender legs, so when he grabbed at them, she kicked for all she was worth; she got him in the face, right in the jaw. That allowed her to hit the floor and clamber frantically to her feet. She did the first thing on her mind and ran to the bathroom, locking the door behind her and searching for a weapon. It came to her almost instantly.

The top of the commode.

It had a removable lid that was heavy in her hands but would surely do a lot of damage. With her item in hand, she stood shaking across from the door, ready to strike when the royal came bursting through it.

Seconds passed, and he didn't come. In fact, the room was eerily silent. She frowned, then took a breath. With waning courage she stepped over to the door and hesitantly pressed her ear to one of its carved panes. She couldn't hear a thing. And she was much too afraid to open the thing and peek out into the room. So she stumbled back over to sit on the commode with the lid in her lap. Tense as she was, she was able to wait a good hour and a half before she got too tired to hold her eyes open anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Another short chapter. I won't be able to update for a couple of days so I hope this will tide you guys over. Don't hesitate to review about what you think thus far!**

**And I know there hasn't been much action lately but stay tuned!**

**Until next time...**

~DymondGold~


	46. Chapter 46

**Sorry for the late update again, thanks for being incredibly patient with me ****everybody! ****I'm about to go back to school in the Fall so I'll have a more steady routine I think.**

**Also, thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to Kishimoto and Rumiko Takahashi.**

**Lol, not!**

**Mario belongs to Nintendo and creators, I was just seeing if anybody reads these things x)**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Six**

* * *

"Is that who I think it is?"

Bowser had been particularly steamed when one of his guards had summoned him and he'd stormed through the halls of his palace behind the Koopa. When he got to the front doors, he saw his Court there, with something in Rhimes' arms. Upon closer inspection, the small, cloaked body of his one and only son came into view. But the king was no stranger to illusions and had to ask the question to be sure.

"It is, Majesty," Grimus affirmed.

Having heard this, Bowser smirked. "So my heir has returned."

He then took the sleeping boy and draped him over his shoulder, allowing the child to wrap his arms subconsciously around his father's neck. Bowser then turned back to his Court.

"Where did he come from?"

"We don't know, Highness." Rhimes spoke carefully.

The king frowned, "What do you mean, you don't know? How did he get here?"

"A cloaked being carried him to the front doors."

"They dropped him off and then disappeared."

"Vanished into thin air."

"So you didn't think to grab the bastard?" Bowser growled.

"Majesty," Rhimes began with great caution, "Their arrival was sudden, as was their disappearance."

"We didn't have a chance to apprehend them." Grimus chimed in.

"Ok, so what about border patrol?" The king then pressed, "You telling me this person got into my territory, past my guards, and nobody noticed?"

"We believe this being used some kind of magic to teleport both themselves and your heir, Majesty." Grimus stated.

_I guess that's feasible, _Bowser mulled over to himself. He shifted his son in his arms and thought of something else.

"So you don't know who this person is or where they came from. Okay." He started, "What about my son?"

"What of him, Majesty?"

"Did you find out from him who the person is?" The king asked, "Did you check his memory?"

"We did," The third magician declared, "But to no avail."

"And why is that?" Bowser scowled.

Rhimes said, "When we probed the boy's psyche we found nothing."

"It was as if the experience had been wiped from his mind completely." Grimus added.

"I see." Bowser said as he narrowed his eyes.

_So it's a skilled magician I'm dealing with, _he realized.

"The only thing we were able to see," Rhimes continued, "was that the boy willingly left his squad to join the brother of your enemy."

"The plumber's brother?" Bowser clarified.

"Indeed."

_Well that's strange, _the king thought, _if I've had the punk down in the dungeons for the last few days, who else could have had and returned my heir? Perhaps he was in cahoots with someone? That has to be the case. _

Bowser said, "I expect you'll investigate this matter further?"

It wasn't a request.

"Of course, Majesty," The magicians all answered, bowing before him.

Bowser then took his son back to his chambers and slammed the door wide open. It was dark but he could still see that the bed was a mess, clear evidence of his last encounter with that little minx of a prisoner. And speaking of her, she was nowhere to be found.

_There, _he soon saw, _the light is on in the bathroom; she must have locked herself inside. As if that'll protect her. Such a naive thing, but so very intriguing yet. _

He pondered the girl's incredible will and knew he would be keeping her around. No matter how hard he tried to get her to give in to him, she refused to submit. And as young and pretty as she may be, she was no mere doll; the girl had made it clear that she would fight with all she had when pushed far enough.

"Daddy?"

Junior was awake, barely so, and had pushed himself away from Bowser's shoulder so that he could look his father in the eyes. The king regarded his small son and sighed.

"What is it?" He asked impatiently.

"I missed you." The boy murmured innocently, "I missed you so bad. Did you get the letter?"

"What letter?" Bowser frowned in confusion.

Junior said, "I told my squad to um, to give it to you."

"You have no squad." The king told his child coarsely, "Not anymore."

"How come?" The boy asked.

"You abandoned them and joined your enemy." Bowser sneered, though his heart wasn't in it.

The boy was looking at him with pouted lips and wide eyes; he couldn't find the strength to be too angry at him. Yes, he was immensely disappointed, but not angry. Not really.

"Lu is my enemy?" Junior croaked, "I didn't know."

"Well you know now." Bowser snapped tiredly.

"Um Daddy?"

"What is it?"

"What's a um, 'enemy'?"

The king gazed at his son and distinctly recalled explaining this to him once before, and if there was anything he knew of the boy it was that he didn't forget what he'd learned, once he had it down pat.

"You know what an enemy is, Junior." Bowser spoke.

Junior admitted, "Yes, I do, Daddy, but...I don't think Lu is _my _enemy."

"Lu?"

"He never did nothing bad to me before," The child continued, "And I like him very much."

"Do you now?" Bowser scowled.

"Yes, Daddy, I do!" Junior chirped, and afterwards yawned.

The royal's frown deepened at that. He held that blatant expression of disgust for a moment longer but as he laid his son to rest, his features melted into some kind of contemplative look. He couldn't help but feel something foreign well up in him at the sight of his young child, sprawled on his back with his lips parted and his lashes resting on cherubic cheeks. His hair, so tangled and wild, covered the sheets behind him. Very delicately Bowser picked his son up again and settled him so that his head rested on a plump silk pillow. He had an unusual urge to embrace the boy, to kiss his forehead or hold him close, but he did no such thing. The most he indulged in was a lingering stroke to his only son's cheek.

* * *

The night, or rather, the early morning that they'd dropped off Junior was a nasty one already: it was pouring down raining. Like clockwork, Ludwig had teleported from the palace's front doors to the Black Forest where his younger sister stood in wait and that's when the thunder clouds had rolled in. The girl stretched out her hands and manipulated the precipitation so that it fell around her and her brother, leaving the both of them dry. Still, Ludwig scowled.

"What are we going to do now?" Wendy asked.

She knew from his telling her that the next step in their mission was to camp out in the Black Forest for the next 24 hours or so. In that time she'd make sure to stay hidden while her older sibling staked out the state of affairs within the palace. Now it was going to be flood city in the woods, all wet and muddy and gross; she definitely did not want to spend the night out in that sort of mess. Her clothes were meant to last her the duration of the trip and if she set foot in that forest, they wouldn't last a minute.

"Lu, what are we gonna' do?" She asked her brother once more.

He responded in the way of wrapping his arm around her shoulder and transporting them yet again; this time they ended up in the interior of the Badlands, near a busy marketplace.

"Where are we?" Wendy breathed.

But she soon found her answer, what with the Dark King's insignia being emblazoned upon everything: from shop windows to fruit carts to the neat row of stone flagpoles lining the middle of the path. She grimaced but followed her brother through the barren streets silently.

_He must have been here before, _she reckoned, _how else would he be able to walk so confidently through the area? _

Ludwig weaved through the meager crowds until he arrived at his unspoken destination: a luxurious inn that didn't look as if it got much business lately. There was a boy, no, a teenager with particularly boyish features, dressed in a fine-but-not-rich sort of way. He sat upon the steps of the inn with his head in his hands, the epitome of boredom. While Wendy stayed behind, Ludwig walked up to the young man and kicked one of his feet.

"We need a room." He stated flatly.

"This inn is closed." The other male drawled.

"Then open it."

"Fuck off."

Wendy knew the warning signs: that impassive expression, the twitch in his hands down at his sides, that tight set to his mouth; Ludwig was about to murder this boy. Or at least maim him terribly. So she felt obligated to step in on behalf of this person, they obviously didn't know what they were getting themselves into.

She grabbed her brother's arm, saying, "Can't we just go someplace else?"

Ludwig looked down at her with a glare that wasn't entirely genuine. He would've calmed down, if it weren't for the fact that the boy opened his mouth yet again.

With a smirk he probably thought was charming he said, "Well hello, beautiful. Looking for a room?"

"But aren't you closed?" She asked in confusion.

"Not to you." He replied, "I'm Munson."

He held out his hand and, unthinkingly, Wendy took it. She wasn't prepared, though, when he turned it sideways and placed a kiss on the bend of her wrist. Ludwig's eye twitched and Wendy noticed. She had the good sense to jerk her hand back and clasp the both of them behind her back.

"Right, uh," She stammered, "So the inn is available?"

"It is now." The boy, Munson spoke, "My father's the owner. I'll let him know we have uh, customers."

It was a common thing among pubescent boys, Ludwig had found, to take ordinary words and work them over so that they sounded like they were laden with some sort of sexual innuendo. To his disappointment, his sister caught on to that, if only vaguely, and blushed a bit.

"Come on in." Munson invited.

Ludwig stopped his sister from following too closely behind the innkeeper's son by placing himself in between the two. He didn't like this boy but he also wasn't in the mood to go any further in search of shelter. He'd had a long day, catering to the Dark King and enacting his mission, and from the morning before he'd been tied up with his duties as Commander Elite in Sarasaland: so contrary to popular belief, he was a mortal being and he did require rest.

The former enforcer waited in the inn's lobby while the boy hurried up the stairs at the left of the room. There was nothing or no one in the spacious room, no staff or anything. It would've been unnerving if Ludwig wasn't so exhausted. A short while later, the Munson boy came flying back down the stairs. Before he got to the third-to-last step, he flipped himself over the railing and sauntered over to the pair with a cool smirk.

"How much is this gonna' cost?" Ludwig asked him with an irritated edge.

Munson gave Wendy a lingering gaze and said, "It's on the house."

"Is your father aware of this?" The enforcer asked caustically.

The boy shrugged and said, "Don't worry about him."

He then went behind the counter and rummaged through the drawers, pulling out a pair of gold keys. With a flourish, he offered one to Wendy and she smiled shyly. Before she could do anything, Ludwig plucked the key out of the boy's fingers and ushered his sister by the small of her back down a corridor to the right. He'd been to the establishment before and knew where the rooms were. He knew, too, that the room number was placed on the back of the keys; this one read fifteen. It would be on the left, he knew that too. In fact, the only thing he didn't know, was that the reasonable old innkeeper had a son, and such a belligerent one at that.

He could tell this already that wouldn't be the most pleasant of stays.

* * *

It was soft at first, that sound that coaxed her from the depths of slumber into the waking world. She was a bit disoriented as she became more lucid, trying to hone in on the persistent noise in the background.

_My back, _she thought, _it's killing me. _

Daisy blinked and sat up slowly. She looked down at the weight on her lap and remembered everything, little by little: the king's latest attacks, her subsequent actions, the banging at the door, her fleeing to the bathroom.

And speaking of banging.

Daisy again jolted when a round of loud knocks sounded on the other side of the door. She immediately forgot her tiredness, her sore back and her recurring hunger pangs and stood. The lid of the commode was clenched tightly in her hands and she had her feet planted firmly on the tiled floor.

_It's him, _she panicked.

The girl eyed the door as a deer would the bullet that would inevitable strike it down. She was terrified. The banging continued and she started to feel her skin prickle with fear. However, as the seconds progressed and the banging as well, she began to lose some of that fear and get confused. She lowered her weapon but not her guard as she thought, _Why isn't he coming in here? He has the strength to rip the door off its hinges so why is he holding back? This isn't really his type of game, he's too impatient for that. Especially if he's mad. Unless he's not mad. _

Three hard thumps rocked the wood and made the golden knob rattle.

She shivered: _No, he's definitely mad. So what's keeping him? _

It really made her wonder when the doorknob began to jiggle. It shook and when the person on the other side discovered the thing was locked, they started attacking the panes of the doors more frantically. Now she was nearly sure it wasn't the king, it couldn't be him. She took in a breath and hesitantly took a step towards the door.

_If I'm wrong _

Another step.

_It could be the death of me. _

Three more steps.

_He'd wring my neck for sure. _

One last step.

Daisy again squeezed to commode lid between her cold and clammy fingers, making sure she had a tight grip on the inanimate object-turned-weapon. When she'd prepped herself, she reached her free hand out and first turned the lock, then yanked the door open towards herself. She took a quick step back and swung the commode lid up over her shoulder, prepared to strike.

And she promptly dropped the thing onto the tile floor, only narrowly missing her bare toes.

She'd been startled just that badly when that red-haired, small blur of a child had rushed into the bathroom past her, bumping into her side in his haste to get to the latrine. Daisy was so shocked that she stood there, staring at the shattered mess that had been her saving grace last night. The sound of liquid hitting liquid made her snap her head over to the source. The sight of the little boy relieving himself relieved her as well, for she'd fear it was his awful father she'd have to confront. The boy himself paid Daisy no mind either, too busy throwing his head back and enjoying the fact that his body was no longer pushing him to empty his tiny bladder.

"Excuse me," He spoke softly, in want of a clear path to the sink.

Daisy stepped aside obligingly and watched the child climb up onto the basin with practiced ease. He washed his hands and rubbed water on his face, then turned with his legs hanging over the edge. The boy gazed up at her with moisture still dripping from his chin.

"...Hello."

"Uh..." Daisy blinked, "Hi?"

"What you doing here?" Junior asked.

She didn't answer that, she couldn't without confusing the child. So she opted for pinning the inquiry back onto him.

"What are _you _doing here?" She asked, "How did you get in here?"

"My Daddy, he carried me into here in this um, room." Junior replied.

Daisy cringed. At the mention of his father, she immediately saw the tyrant's visage over those curiously raised brows, babyish jade eyes, and hesitant smile: it was hard to fathom that this young one had come from a being so despicably foul.

"Where is your...father?" She asked difficultly.

Junior tilted his head and narrowed his eyes pensively, saying, "I don't know where he is; he left really fast, when I was still kinda' sleeping."

"Ah." Daisy remarked.

She took that moment to study the boy. He was precious, that much was not to be denied. So unique and still not yet spoiled by his horrid environment. She remembered, then, that there was something Bowser was accusing her of, something involving his heir. While she pondered this, Junior tried to slide himself down from the sink counter.

"No don't!" She cried, "There's glass on the floor."

And in good time she caught the boy before his feet could hit the floor. Like her, he wore no shoes and, even though her hatred for the Dark King was augmenting by the hour, she didn't want any harm to come to the boy, not if she could help it. He hadn't done anything wrong.

_He didn't ask to be fathered by a monster, _she thought as she hoisted him onto her hip. Junior hooked his legs around her middle and his arms around her neck while she brought him into the bedroom. Daisy set him onto the bed and took a seat beside him. Her body ached from sleeping upright and she was so tempted to curl up on her side on the mattress, to snuggle in the warm silk sheets and sleep until the pain faded away. But she knew she couldn't do that.

_If I lie down, he might come back and I'll be in a vulnerable position again, _she reasoned.

"Did something happen to you?" She asked of the boy.

She was trying to take the focus off of herself and her ailments, and also find out what was going on. Junior didn't seem hurt in any way, and his personality hadn't changed, so she had no idea what the king thought she may have done to him.

Junior answered, "I don't know what happened. My daddy told me to um, go somewhere but I don't remember how come he asked, or where he wanted me to go."

That made literally no sense to her. But that could be because she was still tired and so very famished again. She yawned and rubbed at her eyes.

_So much for keeping my strength up, _she thought bitterly.

Challenging the Dark King at every turn was starting to really catch up with her. Part of her knew that Junior's unknown whereabouts was one of the charges against her and she wondered, now that he'd returned, what that meant for her, but the other part of her didn't give a care. She was ready to leave this place.

_I'm tired of being slapped around and hit and abused, _she groused.

"I do know one thing!" Junior suddenly declared.

Daisy cleared her eyes of that distant haze and then turned to him. He had a huge grin that was only growing. Wearily, she gave him a watery smile in return.

"What do you know?" She prompted.

He stated, "My Daddy, he told me to. I mean, he told me that I have a very 'portant job."

"And what is that?" She pressed, leaning her head in her hands.

"I have to make sure you get dressed up in something pretty and then," He exclaimed, "_Then_, he said I have to bring you to breakfast."

Her eye twitched.

"And what if I choose not to go?"

"Uh..." Junior scrunched his lips and said, "I think I will get in trouble then."

Daisy frowned sharply but didn't hold the expression. She was in the presence of someone who had no clue what was transpiring before his eyes, after all.

"Okay," She said in a resigned way, "I guess I should get dressed then."

"Yes!" Junior beamed.

He followed the older girl towards the closet, where Daisy grew steadily agitated. She hated the fact that Bowser was still playing these mind games with her; what did he have to gain by having her come down to dine in his hall with him, as if they were companions or as if she were a guest.

_As if, _she sneered, _he's so twisted and sadistic, I swear. _

She only searched half-heartedly through the garments hanging up in the closet. She wasn't in the mood to make herself look good for one of her worst enemies. But she was so very hungry and she did want to eat again, so she tried to settle on a dress that wasn't too obscenely inappropriate.

"What about this one?" Junior spoke.

Daisy glanced at him and didn't know whether to chuckle or grimace. The latter eventually won out, much to the child's dismay. In his grip was the satin hem of a grand white lace creation that gave her the chills just looking at it.

"No Junior," She said as gently as she could, "that's a wedding gown."

"But it looks the best!" He insisted.

_If only you knew, little one. _

"How 'bout this one?" He then suggested.

This time he was pulling on the bottom of a short lilac thing. Daisy shrugged and took it off the hanger, inspecting it just a bit before tucking it under her arm. With a dress picked out, she bent over and grabbed a pair of fine white flats, then headed back to the bathroom. There she shut the door and began changing clothes languidly. Over her head she pulled the dress and left the zipper open, she'd let Junior help her with that. As for the flats, she had only to push her feet into them. Having done those things, Daisy glanced at herself in the mirror.

_I don't look too bad, _she noted of her pale skin that could've been more sallow, or her slightly baggy eyes that could've been ringed with dark circles. _I don't look too good either, _she added to herself.

Daisy cupped her hands under the faucet and ran cold water over them, then rubbed her face clean. Her brows itched, so she smoothed her wet fingers over them to solve that malady. Then she lifted her chin and regarded herself once more.

_If Bowser wants to play games, then I'll play along; just this last time. But on my terms._

Daisy stepped out of the bathroom while tapping into her last reserves of energy. She'd need to make one last stand before throwing in the towel. Her logic was that, since she would be out of the room, she'd have more resources and perhaps a better opportunity to strike at the Dark King.

_It's worth a shot, since I can't keep going on like this. _

"Behind you!" Junior called as she approached the vanity.

"What?" She frowned, glancing over her shoulder.

"Your dress is not closed!" He cried.

"Oh, right," She muttered, "Do you think you can zip it up for me?"

Junior beamed and nodded exuberantly. He moved over to where Daisy had taken a seat at the vanity and stood behind her. His small fingers tickled the skin at the small of her back and made her flinch.

"I made you hurt?" He asked in genuine concern.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong," She assured him.

Junior then tugged the zipper the rest of the way and said, "Finished!"

"Thank you." She told him quietly.

Daisy sighed and methodically went about brushing the tangles out her long hair. Naturally, Junior wanted to join in this task as well. She let him, too; handed him the brush and closed her eyes while he worked in that careful way of his, using his small hands to grip and gently run the bristles over her brunette strands.

"You need to put those on," The boy said, pointing to a pair of clips, "They will make your hair look so pretty."

"Okay." she acceded.

She followed his advice and pinned her hair back on either side, sliding the silver, diamond-encrusted bars in above her scalp.

"Use some of this too!" Junior said loudly.

He was giving her an elegant bottle of perfume, one he'd taken from the other side of the vanity. She had to decline: doing her hair and dressing nice was as far as she was willing to take this game of Bowser's. She wouldn't indulge the king more than was necessary.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, this is a really abrupt way ****to ****end a chapter, sorry, but I had to split this up if I wanted to get an update in. **

**In the next chapter, we'll get part two of Ludwig and Wendy's stay at the inn, part two of Daisy and Junior's trip to the dining hall and subsequent 'adventures' once there with the Dark King, and we'll see a bit of Luigi and how he's faring. **

**Please don't let this late, late update stop you from gracing me with those marvelous reviews of yours! **

**Until next time...**

**~DymondGold~**


	47. Chapter 47

**Thanks for the feedback and reviews, I really appreciate it boys and girls!**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to ****Nintendo and creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

* * *

"Are you sure he won't notice?"

"Pretty sure."

"Good. He's a right prick, that one."

Wendy winced at those words as she stood awkwardly in the doorway of her temporary room. Across from her was that boy, Munson. He looked so smooth in his burgundy silk pants and black shirt that was cuffed at the sleeves. Yes, he was attractive to her, for he did have a nice set of foamy blue eyes and a clever mouth. But Ludwig was her brother and though he could be a bit authoritative most times, she knew at the end of the day he only cared about her and her younger brothers. That's why she didn't hesitate to defend him.

"He's my brother; he's just protective of me."

Munson smirked and said, "I suppose he should be. You are such a prize."

Wendy blushed and ran her hand through her hair, an errant, nervous habit. If she were honest with herself, she could admit that she wasn't entirely comfortable. Here this young man was, approaching her in the dead of the night with his sly smiles and rebellious attitude.

Munson stepped yet closer and looked down at Wendy, his voice dropping a half an octave.

"So you wanna' get out of here?" He asked her.

She said uneasily, "Um."

"We won't go far," Munson cajoled, "Just around the way."

"I don't know."

And then the door slammed shut.

She didn't know where he'd come from, but he was suddenly there behind her with his palm flat against one of the panes on the closed door. Wendy felt her stomach drop out and her heart skip a beat; she knew this feeling. She'd been caught.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I thought you were a sensible girl: I guess we were both wrong."

"What do you mean?" She asked, stalling.

Whatever he was about to say was impeded by the sudden rapping against the door. It was Munson, no doubt wanting to know what was going on. Wendy instantly felt a rush of fear then. Not for herself though, because Ludwig's words, sharp and full of caustic wit as they were, wouldn't compare in coarseness to what he would do to that boy.

"Don't." She implored as he stepped past her.

Ludwig leveled her with a look that did more to spark her defiant resolve than intimidate her. He left the room and faced the young innkeeper's son, slamming the door behind him.

"Wendy?"

"No, it's the prick."

That obviously wasn't what the young man was expecting, and in the sight of the former enforcer Munson paled. He took a step back but wasn't quick enough: Ludwig grabbed him effortlessly by the front of his shirt and shoved him against the opposite wall.

"Those are nice eyes," Ludwig remarked cryptically.

Munson was terrified. To him it felt as if the blue-haired male's knuckles would crush the plane of bone in his chest, that was how tightly Ludwig had his shirt in his grip. He was sure the older man could feel his heart pounding rapidly as a cold sweat started to spread all over his body. He had planned on having a good old time with that pretty blonde, but thanks to her crazy brother he was getting more than he bargained for. In bewilderment he gazed into those cold emerald eyes.

"Yes, real nice eyes," Ludwig amended. "Tell me; do you like them?"

"Hu-What?" Munson panted.

"Your eyes." Ludwig repeated, "Do you like them?"

"...Yes?" the boy blinked rapidly so as to stave off the moisture that was building behind said ocular organs.

"You like being able to see with them?" Ludwig pressed.

"Ye...Yes?"

The Commander Elite then moved his finger from the boy's shirt to his throat and picked him up a good foot off of the ground. He shoved Munson back against the wall and watched him gag, remaining unfazed.

"I bet you do, you little shit." Ludwig sneered, "And since that's the case, I suggest you stay far away from my sister. Understand?"

The boy was still struggling to breathe, so a verbal answer was out of the question. However, he was bobbing his head frantically up and down instead. That seemed to placate Ludwig, for he released his hold on him and let Munson's body crumple to the carpeted inn floor. The teenager doubled over on his side and heaved in great gasping breaths, and this was what Wendy saw briefly as her brother re-entered the room.

"What did you do to him?" She asked warily.

"You shouldn't worry about him," Ludwig stated icily, "because I can guarantee he doesn't give a damn about you."

The girl was crestfallen. "Why are you saying that? You don't even know him."

"Oh but I do," Her brother said, "Or did you forget I was a man as well?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" She frowned.

"Everything!" He hissed.

Ludwig took a breath then and said, "Sit down, Wendy."

"But I-"

"Sit. Down."

She reluctantly obeyed. From her seat at the edge of the bed, she watched Ludwig start to pace, keeping his narrowed gaze on her the whole time. She was quiet, not wanting to invoke her older sibling's ire any further. Soon he spoke again.

"Wendy, you want to move to the other world, right?" He asked.

She blinked at the randomness of the inquiry but said, "Yes."

"I've lived over there. For a little while," He told her, "and I know firsthand; that world is full of naive, stupid little girls."

Wendy bristled. "Why are you-"

"Be quiet and listen to me!" Ludwig ordered. "Contrary to what you might think, this prick actually cares about your safety and I only blame myself for sheltering you so bad."

He sighed again and said, "Well here's a run-down of some basic aspects of that 'other world': first of all, it's not as glamorous as you think."

"I know that." She snapped.

"Oh?" He responded, "And what else do you know? Do you know how to live on your own? How to pay bills and taxes and how to buy food and get a job to support yourself? Do you know any of that?"

Wendy looked down in her lap, subdued for the moment.

Ludwig scoffed, "You're so eager to trust this punk and you don't even know him, that's another thing."

"You don't know him either," She snapped.

"Would you shut your mouth and listen to me?" Ludwig asked, exasperated. "I wouldn't tell you this if I didn't care about you getting screwed over."

Again Wendy quieted, but not for long.

"Men are the same, in this world or any other. They all want one thing." He told her simply. "To see how much they can get from you."

"Huh?"

"They want to use you. All of them." Ludwig stated.

"Even you?"

"To an extent."

"Not everybody is like that." She argued. "There's some good people out there, there has to be. It's where Luigi came from after all."

"And you do hold him in such high regard," Ludwig murmured, then said aloud, "The plumber's an exception, I suppose."

"There's got to be more people like him."

Ludwig scoffed, saying, "A bit of etymology would do you good; exceptions belie rarity, Wendy."

"You just don't want me to go." She accused.

"Would you have me send you there and you get raped or killed?" He asked bitingly.

She muttered, "No, but-"

"You're not ready." He said dismissively. "Just as I thought."

"I am!" She cried. "If you would just trust me."

"You want me to trust you?" He asked, "Be responsible. Show me you're worth trusting."

"How?" She asked.

Ludwig paused for a moment before replying to her.

"We're leaving as soon as the sun sets; do whatever you like, but be ready by then."

And that was it.

A test.

_I'll prove to him I can be responsible and trustworthy, _she vowed to herself, _because there's no way I'm staying locked up in that bunker. _

* * *

She wasn't ready. Not to face the king. But she knew that if she waited for herself to work up the nerve, she'd be in that bedroom a while. And if that were the case, the king might come over to investigate what was holding her up. So that was why Daisy decided to get the 'game' of his started by heading out towards the dining hall with his little son in tow. She was still pretty upset that he'd used Junior in this sort of way, but that couldn't be helped.

_And I really should've expected as much, _she thought.

As she headed into the corridor with Junior's hand in hers, she was astounded by the number of guards on either side of the hall. Each of the Koopas sported a fierce, stoic expression as they stood there, eyeing her coldly.

_So he wasn't bluffing, _she realized. _But wait: how did Ludwig get past them the other night? _

Since she didn't know the extent of his abilities, she didn't bother trying to figure that out. Instead she tightened her hold on Junior's hand and swallowed at the sight of so many hostiles. Those hostiles parted easily for the young boy, and again she was in awe of how much power he had, even at five years old.

That suddenly gave her an idea.

Junior was trained by the General of Bowser's armies, surely the boy kept a weapon on him. And yes, there was something to be said of her using a child, but she had ways of smoothing that over in her conscience.

_I'm just utilizing the fact that he's an elite warrior, and yes a child, but I don't have the luxury of abiding by any moral compass right now. I have to use whatever I can get. _

"Junior," She spoke, stopping in the middle of the hall.

She crouched to the boy's height and smiled disarmingly. Junior smiled back and she tried to focus on him and that smile instead of the fearsome guards watching her warily all around.

"How come we stopping?" the prince asked.

Daisy said, "I have a very serious, very secret question to ask you."

His curiosity whetted, Junior piped, "What kind of secret question?"

"Shh!" She chided, "Whisper, like this."

"Okay," he hissed in a lowered-but-still-not-totally-quiet sort of voice.

Daisy prompted, "Now Junior, do you have any weapons on you that I can borrow?"

"Weapons?" He murmured, "What you need those for?"

"Because..." She struggled, "Because there are bad people in the castle, and I need to defend myself."

"Ohhh," Junior drawled, "What kind of bad people?"

"Um"

"Bad like my Daddy?"

"Huh?"

Junior explained clearly, "Sometimes my Daddy can be so very mean and bad. That's the bad kind of people you need to 'fin yourself from?"

"Uh, yes." She responded. "So do you have any weapons?"

"Yes, but I have to go get them." Junior replied.

He guided the girl by the hand back towards his bedroom. When they got to his door, the boy darted in and began rummaging through the drawer beside his bed. Daisy tried to step into the room but the guards impeded her, holding their sharpened spears in 'x' formation over the door and glowering down at her. Junior glanced back and saw this, then hurried back to retrieve her. The prince swatted at the spears languidly and took her hand.

"She's with me, so that means you need to go away." Junior called over his shoulder.

That manner with which he commanded them in his own childish way reminded her of Bowser so much. Maybe he wasn't as forceful, but the way he didn't even look back to see if he'd been obeyed was the sort of arrogance he had to have picked up from his father. Daisy shuddered. She really hoped he didn't turn into him one day.

_But if I don't want that to happen, I'll have to do more than hope, _she knew.

In the room she stood near the twin-sized bed and studied the Crown Prince. He went back over to that drawer and pulled something out that looked sharp and pointy. He presented her with the brilliantly engraved diamond and sapphire-encrusted dagger.

"This is the knife I use to practice with," Junior told her.

"I see." She murmured.

He then asked, "Do you want my sword, too?"

"Oh no, I couldn't." She shook her head.

She already felt bad for tricking him, she wasn't about to take his birthday gift as well and risk having it confiscated. Besides, it wasn't small enough to conceal. Though the silver dagger might have been a bit _too _small, seeing as how it was crafted for a little kid's hands and not her own. But it would do.

Junior asked, "Are you sure you don't want it?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she replied, "If I take your sword, what will you have to protect yourself with?"

"Nobody will hurt me," Junior exclaimed, "I'm the Prince!"

_If only that was the case, _she lamented. She knew Bowser was fond of his only son and heir, but his temper could get out of control. And when he was mad, she didn't think that even Junior had complete immunity from his wrath. So it wasn't for the first time that she felt guilty for involving him. But she had to take this opportunity. The only thing she consoled herself with was her silent vow to help him, maybe get him away from his father once she was out of this place herself.

She smiled gently and said, "But you remember those bad people? What if they try to hurt you for helping me?"

_I wouldn't put it past Bowser, not in the slightest, _she thought.

Junior said simply, "Then I will use my fire and fight them with that, and that's how I will 'fin myself."

She wanted to believe that he would be okay but she couldn't. He was intelligent and skilled, but next to his father he was like a pup in training next to the alpha dog.

"Plus," He continued, "I want you to have an extra thing for the time when some of those bad people knock that one out your hand."

_If that happens, I'm screwed, _she knew, because if she attacked the king and didn't finish him, she wouldn't get the chance to strike at him a second time.

"That won't be necessary," She assured him.

But to no avail. Junior's face fell in that way that spoke of his utter devastation and his lower lip twitched towards a protruding pout.

"But I don't want nothing to happen to you," He said quietly, " 'Cause then I won't see you no more."

_"Oh, baby..." _she nearly breathed to herself.

He had touched her heart, with his honest admission and tender, disheartened jade eyes. She knew deep down it was a bad idea to embrace the boy unless she really could get him out of there, but she brought him into her arms anyway. She kissed the top of his head and held him tightly.

"You've done a real good thing, Junior," She praised softly, "But you've done enough. I don't want you to get in too much trouble, so make sure you don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"It's a secret thing?" He asked when she held him at arm's length.

Daisy nodded, "Yes. A secret thing."

"A secret like I can't even much tell my Daddy?" He asked.

"Especially not your daddy," She told him.

"Okay, I will not tell him nothing." The boy promised.

* * *

He'd started feeding me again and I have no clue what that's about. One meal a day, bread, cheese, and water. Simple but filling enough. And as good as it felt to be able to eat again, I knew the fact that he was having food brought down to me again meant that he was up to something. I hated to think that, whatever it was, it could involve Daisy in a negative way. But I had to consider all possibilities and most of them dealt with her being harmed. The worst thing was that she was up there, at his mercy, while I was stuck down here.

And while I was down here, I hadn't been idle.

The in-flow of food had been the impetus I needed to spend less time sleeping and more time exercising, toning my body and getting ready for the day I got out of here. In that small square space I practiced the moves that Ludwig had taught me, as well as a few from my adventure days with Mario. And speaking of my brother, I wondered often if he knew my situation and if he was doing anything about it. Had he been so caught up with Peach's return that he hadn't registered my plight? I should like to doubt that but I didn't know for sure.

And back to the positives.

Another recent improvement was that my mind was clearer, especially since I'd been eating and moving around, stimulating it more. I was sure that if I kept at it, I'd come up with a plan of escape soon enough.

* * *

In the face of the snake himself, she thought she'd lose her nerve. But no, when Daisy stepped into the dining hall with Junior at her side and saw the king sitting there, chowing down as if he hadn't tried to rape her the night before; well, she felt herself become that much more emboldened to do whatever she could to-

"You're late."

She felt herself bristle, felt the biting retorts climb over her tastebuds on their way to the tip of her tongue. But it wasn't her the king had addressed, so his intended audience spoke instead of her.

"I know, Daddy," Junior said, "But I had to get someth..."

A stricken jolt rocked through her body and she instinctively squeezed the child's hand. The action did well to remind the boy of his oath and he trailed off before he could reveal too much. Luckily, his father wasn't in the habit of paying much attention to his son.

"Excuses are pathetic and I don't have time for them," Bowser chided, "Sit down."

Daisy didn't move like Junior did. The boy hurried excitedly to where his seat was, at the right of his father's with the old tomes still stacked up in the chair for him. He pulled himself up to the table and started swinging his legs. She let her eyes roam from the child to the father, and it startled her when she saw that his eyes were already on her. He was studying her over the rim of his golden goblet. The way he drank the wine within made her doubt its strength; he was downing it like it had the potency of a glass of water. And when she continued to stare in his eyes, she saw what he wanted. She saw the challenge there, daring her to say anything about last night. His son, that was the only thing keeping her from cussing him out like she'd made a job of sailing the seas. The boy's presence was the only thing keeping her civil. She raised her chin and strode over to the chair at the opposite head of the table.

"How come you sitting all the way down there?" Junior wanted to know.

Daisy had no answer for him, but his father did. Bowser lowered his goblet and sat back in his chair, with his legs in that customary, wide-open position. He tilted his head and smirked over at her briefly before regarding his son.

"Perhaps she doesn't know." He stated in code.

Junior asked, "Know what?"

"That her place this morning is here, on my left." Bowser spoke.

The king was addressing his son but gazing at her. This was his game.

"Perhaps she doesn't know," He continued, "That in the water is a...magical solution crafted to relieve pain, to heal those bruises."

Daisy stiffened.

"What bruises?" Junior asked.

"Perhaps she doesn't know," Bowser smirked, "that her meal is down here, and that she'll only get it if she comes and uh, sits next to me."

_Oh, you dirty, underhanded fiend, _Daisy thought. She wasn't sure but she was almost certain there was a nice frosty, inner circle in the pits of Hell for him and his kind. She was glaring at him, trying to bore holes into his head where those ivory-colored horns poked through his thick, tangled red hair.

Her stomach and good sense won out, but not without her pride and dignity putting up a fight all the while. She reluctantly pushed back her chair, stood, and took slow, measured steps over to where the king was glancing bemusedly. Once she got to the seat at his left, he reached out and took her hand, guiding her to her seat. He tried to kiss the underside of her wrist and her knuckles, but she jerked her hand away and sat down with a faint scowl.

But oh, did that food smell heavenly right about then, making her forget all about the king and his leering stare beside her. She dove right in, much to the more decent and lady-like part of her's chagrin. She drank most of the water first, relishing in its immediate effects: it was a balm to her parched throat and tasted slightly of something sweet, like homemade elixir. And it was a shame because she ate faster than her mind could distinguish what was going down her esophagus. No, it wasn't until after she was finished that she observed what was left and saw that she'd been served steak, smothered potatoes, peas, corn, and bread. She was actually pretty full.

And the entire time she'd not worried about plans or her predicament or anything. She was just so absorbed in nourishing a body that steadily craved more with each bite. But now she was finished and somewhat fulfilled and the weight of her problem was upon her.

_Alright, time to act, _she prompted herself.

Earlier she'd concealed the silver and sapphire dagger in the top of her dress, right between her breasts. It was an unconventional place, but the only one where there wasn't an obvious bulge. She had to slide it into her bra hilt-first, so that the sharp point of its tip poked through. And to say he was as lecherous and meticulous as he was, Bowser hadn't noticed it.

Deliberately Daisy knocked her fork over the edge of the table and slid back in her chair, intent on using the opportunity to remove her weapon.

"Leave it." Bowser told her.

_And ruin everything? I don't think so: if I can't get the knife out and at the ready, I can't use it, simple as that. But you'd like that, wouldn't you? _

She sneered just a bit when she replied, "I got it."

"You've eaten everything already." He pointed out.

"Yes, but," She responded, "I'd hate to just um, leave it there."

And with that she quickly dove under the table. Bowser grabbed her wrist, her right one, and with her left she was wild in the way she plunged her hand down the front of her dress. Using her thumb and index finger, she plucked the dagger free, then got a firm grip on it. At the same time, Bowser tugged her by her right forearm upwards and made her fingers slipped. As she was forced back to a sitting position, she bit the side of her cheek because she'd cut her palm by grabbing it the wrong way, thanks to the royal's hasty actions.

"Something the matter?" He asked in a predatory sort of way.

She shook her head and prayed it wouldn't make the tears bounce from her eyes. Her hand was bleeding but she gritted her teeth against the hot, throbbing pain and circled her uninjured fingers around the hilt so as not to drop it. She couldn't put any pressure on the open wound at all, and what's worse, she had to hide the fact that she was hurt completely from the king's critical eye.

With her right hand on the table, she spent the duration of the next two minutes plotting. This unfortunate turn of events only made her desperate and more motivated to end all this.

_I know I'll have to kill him. Plain and simple. I'll have to murder him, it's the only way. If I just hurt him again, he'll get healed and do worse to me and others. But if I kill him once and for all, it'll be over, his reign of terror will end. He's a monster and needs to be taken out, and though I've never killed before, I have to do this. _

She glanced over at the unsuspecting king, who was watching his son. The boy was gazing at him, a smile on his face, his expression full of undulating love and adoration. Daisy wondered, then, if he knew. If the Dark King had any inkling as to what was running through her mind.

_No, he can't know; I wouldn't be sitting her, still alive, if he did. Or maybe I would be alive. I can never be sure, he does play so many mind games. __All the more reason for me to take him out. _

She shuddered upon hearing those words resonate within her mind. _I sound like him. No, I'm not like him. I don't kill to sate some sick lust for depravity, I'm doing the entire Mushroom World a huge service by ridding it of him. I'm completely prepared to face whatever consequences come my way, be it prison time or debt slavery or what have you. _

_And I won't regret a thing. _

Junior laughed and she glanced at him: _well, just one thing. It's going to crush his little soul to lose his father, I just know it. Even though he's evil, he's the only family Junior has and he's obviously attached to him. That's something I wish I could avoid or spare him from. _

"Where is the Princess?" Junior asked.

Bowser drawled, "She's gone."

"Is she coming back?" The boy inquired.

"No," Bowser said slowly, again gazing at Daisy, "But that's alright."

_What a filthy smile, _she thought, _I could cut a jagged smile like that right across his throat. _

The girl blinked.

That was morbid, even considering her circumstances and the good of the world. _It's probably no worse than what he would've done me, after he finished raping and torturing me, that is. But still, I'm better than that, I don't have to sink to his level of lurid violence. Though he does deserve nothing less. Regardless of that, I'll just get it over with. __  
_

She figured a clinical, efficient slice across his jugular would do the trick. Or perhaps it'd be neater and cleaner if she stabbed the blade into one of his temples, right down to the hilt, just push it in and rip it right back out.

Daisy made a face.

_Since when did I become such the expert on this? What have I become? _

"It's time for your training." Bowser stated.

Junior's disconsolate expression said it all: "But I don't want to go."

"And has that ever mattered?" Bowser quipped.

"I wanna' stay with you!" The prince exclaimed.

"No." the king said, "The General is waiting."

"Okay." Junior capitulated.

He hopped down from the table and started heading towards the right. But suddenly he stopped and turned back to the table.

"Daddy, I remember!" He cried.

Bowser grew a bit excited, thinking he was referring to his botched mission and subsequent disappearance.

"What do you remember?" He asked.

Junior said, "I remember who she is; she's Lu's lady-friend."

That was not what the king wanted or was expecting to hear. Daisy stared at the boy and marveled at how much he did in fact remember her.

"She came to the feast, on my special day," He said, "And she was in the room with Lu. Daddy, is Lu here, too?"

"Junior." The king said in warning.

"If he is, I want to see him!"

"_Junior_."

"Can I see him if he is here, too? I missed him so bad and I want to-"

"JUNIOR!" Bowser roared.

Said boy clamped his mouth shut and let his jade eyes widen fearfully as his father shot up from the table and stalked towards him. He took his son up from under his armpits and raised him to his own height with his legs and bare feet dangling in the air.

"The **enemy**, Junior," Bowser hissed, "What did I tell you about the enemy?"

His heir blinked, his lower lip quivering dangerously. Even though everything inside of him wanted to cower and erupt in tears, Junior knew better than to let such a weakness manifest in the face of his father's ire. His silence did well to calm the furious king, and slowly he lowered his son back down to the floor.

"Go train." He ordered quietly.

His son scampered off without another word.

When he was gone, Bowser was still standing there, his back to Daisy. She tried to be discreet in the way that she pulled a cloth napkin from the table and wrapped the thing around her cut hands. It was able to staunch the bleeding. For now. In her right hand she transferred the blade and then sucked in a breath: it was time.

"Come here." He implored of her.

She didn't need to be told twice. She rose from the table in what he thought was a show of her docile side and came towards her captor, the blade in hand.

"How did you find your meal?" he asked.

She rounded the corner of the table, saying softly, "It was good."

He nodded. "It was. Just good."

Her knees trembled as she got closer still to the king. He had something more to say as she approached.

"It wasn't nearly as rich, or as filling as yours, I'm afraid." He drawled.

Daisy stuttered in her step and blinked. _Now what is he getting at? _

"I'm still a bit...hungry," He stated, then glanced over his shoulder and asked, "Won't you fix me another?"

"O-Okay." She said.

Bowser turned abruptly and she snapped her hand behind her back. But she wasn't fast enough. Bowser yanked her by the arm towards himself and pulled both her hands out in front of her. He was surprised to see the blood, but when he saw the dagger he recognized the thing and narrowed his eyes.

"For shame, precious," He whispered, "For shame."

He drew her near him by the waist and she slapped her palms, bloody one and all, against his clean white silk shirt. He didn't seem to mind or care about the stains she'd created. He just lowered his head and smirked.

"Stealing weapons from my heir, a mere child? Very low." He reproached.

She spat, "Not as low as using him to manipulate me."

"Yes, but I'm a monster, remember? You're the one who claims to be so much better than me."

"I am."

"It doesn't look that way," he argued, "Tell me, precious, what were you planning on doing with that blade? Maiming me again?"

Her expression gave him his answer, and he grinned even harder.

"You were going to _kill _me, weren't you?" He breathed, "You may not have succeeded, but I can see it in your pretty eyes, you would have damn sure tried to."

"It's not the same thing." She snapped.

Bowser kissed her and a volatile, needy assault it was. She brought her knee up and slammed the cap into his hard stomach, not hurting him but ending the attack. She stepped back and wiped at her mouth but he pulled her right back towards him. With his arm hooked around her middle and the blade torn from her grip, she felt that horrid deluge of powerlessness threaten to overwhelm her.

_I failed, again I failed, _she bemoaned, _what is he going to do to me now? _

She fought and struggled in his grip and again wiped at her mouth. Her lips felt swollen and hot from where he'd kissed her so violently. Bowser tossed the knife onto the table and then shook her by the shoulders.

"Be still!" he commanded.

But she was trying to get free and to run, because she knew she was done for. He knew that she'd tried to kill him and so she'd be killed, right? She didn't want to stick around to find out. But then Bowser slid his hands down to her wrists and used his thumb to put pressure onto her open wound.

She screamed and collapsed to the floor, unprepared for the onslaught of raw pain. The girl looked up at the king through her tears and felt herself become rejuvinated with her recurring new friend, rage.

"You bastard!" She shrieked.

Had she sworn before? Not like that. She was fueled by her rippling emotions to leap up and start attacking him again. But all it took was for him to burn her hand, right on her palm again, for her to sob and fall backwards.

She cradled her injured hand in her lap and panted, not having a faucet of water to assuage her burning hand or a bag of ice or any kind of soothing aid for her wounds. Bowser stood over her and stared impassively.

"You know I don't like hurting you," He told her.

_Bull crap, _she thought, but couldn't say because her throat ached and was thick with curdling sobs she was holding in. She tucked her legs under her and glared at him, shaking not from the pain anymore, but from the unbridled indignance and anger festering inside. This cemented things for her; if she had a hesitant bone in her body when it came to offing him, it had been rid of her now. She was certain, she'd do it.

Her face hardened then, and her eyes grew icy and calculating. _I'm going to do it. He shouldn't have let me live, because now he'll regret it. I don't know what I'll do, but when I get in that kitchen I'll have utensils and pots and pans at my disposal; I'll give him hell. _

With that on her heart, she picked herself up off the floor and wiped the back of her arm across her face. Bowser had his arms folded and was regarding her carefully, he'd noticed a change in her demeanor but wasn't keen enough to catch onto just what had shifted. He offered her his hand and smirked.

"Had enough?" He spoke.

She bit down all of her rancid hatred and impassioned comments and accusations and instead schooled her features into a perfect mask of neutrality. She slid her hand into his.

"Do you have anymore weapons?" he asked.

She shook her head stiffly.

He squeezed her hand, her hurt hand, and she winced but didn't cry or sob like before. This was it. She wasn't taking this abuse anymore. When they got to the kitchen, she'd give him what for and she'd get out of her.

"Are you sure?" he asked her again.

She nodded.

His grip relaxed and he said, "To the kitchen, then."

* * *

**A/N: Alright, that was part two of the last chapter, hope you guys liked it. Not much action yet, just buildup for what's to come. **

**Do leave your reviews and tell me what you think will happen next, or what you think of the story thus far, or how much of a sick bastard you think Bowser is, or what you think of Daisy or any other characters. **

**I'll try and update again soon, but this was all in the same day essentially so I might not get to until the day after tomorrow. Until then...**

**~DymondGold~**


	48. Chapter 48

**Be duly warned, this chapter gets very ugly as it progresses. But other than that...**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Mario or its franchise. It belongs to ****Nintendo and creators.**

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Eight **

* * *

"Majesty?"

Daisy flinched when Bowser stopped and jerked her to one right beside him. She was enraptured in her thoughts, those of killing the being at her left, and so her whole body was on edge, sensitive to touch. Especially the touch of his hot hands. For his part, he didn't notice a bit of this as he acknowledged the guard who'd addressed him. It was a Koopa. This one didn't glare at her.

"What is it?" Bowser asked impatiently.

The Koopa replied, "The palace has been released from lock-down mode, as per your request, sire."

"Good." He scowled, "Say that right in front of the fucking prisoner."

Daisy blinked: _lock-down mode? Is that why there were so many guards and Ludwig said...whatever it was he said the other night? So that means I can probably get out of here! _

The Koopa, having been upbraided, began to shift uneasily.

"Would you have me tell the General to reinstate the wards and barriers?" he asked.

Bowser shook his head, saying, "No. Just get out of here."

When the guard bowed and left, the royal turned to Daisy. She stiffened with his eyes upon her, but not out of fear. She was past that now. He'd done too much to her for her to cower before him. Now it was time to stop crying and act. She held her head high and jerked her arm from him, crossing the both of them over her chest. She was careful not to agitate the cut on her palm in the process.

Bowser smirked down at her, amused at her stalwart show of bravado. He hooked his finger under her chin and kissed her cheek. She let him.

_Go ahead, get your last assaults in now, _she encouraged within her mind, _they'll be your last. _

"So you heard," He murmured, "This palace is open. But it doesn't matter. You're not getting out anytime soon."

"That's what you think," She muttered.

"That's what I _know_, precious." He grinned, trying to kiss her full on.

She moved back and said, "Don't."

Bowser narrowed his eyes and said, "I think that's the problem right there. I've been too lenient with you, little girl. You say you don't want me touching you, but if only you knew I could do so much worse than just..."

He dragged his hands down the sides of her waist and finished with, "...touching you."

_I do know you could do so much more than that, _she thought hatefully, _you would've raped me on more than one occasion if I hadn't fought back so hard. And I'll keep fighting until there's no more of you left to combat; I will kill you. _

She winced and amended, for justification purposes, _I have to. _

Bowser ushered her the rest of the way to the kitchen in silence. Smug silence on his part, and a calculating sort on hers. When the two of them got there, she instantly forgot about her plans and was overcome with emotion. Everyone was there, bustling around and doing work. She recognized each of them, and that consoled her a bit seeing as they were still alive and well, but it also hurt her. In their eyes when they all turned to face her and the king was fear and confusion, not an ounce of recognition. She didn't know it 'til now, but she'd wanted to be missed. Deep down, she wanted to be able to smile at them and let them know that no, that little mute girl isn't dead, she's alright. Because she could see that her arrest before in the middle of the night had taken a toll on them, had slouched them over with sadness and aged their countenances that much more. To them, she was just some girl they'd never seen before, and that hurt her.

"Get out," Bowser ordered simply.

And under the Mistress' guidance, all of them did leave. But the petite woman was shrewder than Daisy had given her credit for, and she stayed behind a moment more. The way she had her coffee-colored eyes on the young girl, Daisy felt as if she were onto something; _Does she...no, she can't...could she? _The girl was hopeful as her Mistress continued to study her.

"Would you have me commission a portrait of her done?" Bowser quipped to the woman, "It would last longer."

The Mistress turned to him and was so bold to ask, "Who is she?"

"No one you need concern yourself with." He responded. "Leave."

This time the woman did go, but with a wholly unsatisfied curiosity in tow. She seemed perplexed because she felt as if she did know that girl, somehow, even though she was sure she hadn't seen a face like that since she'd been in service. Daisy was disappointed to see her go, for she had half-way wanted to see if her beloved Mistress would figure out the mystery of her dual identity.

_I guess it was too much of a long shot, _she thought in resignation. She wished there was someway she could say goodbye to them all, but she knew that wouldn't be possible. Once she did what she had to do, she'd be branded a murderer, and rightly so; because of that, she would have to flee as soon as possible.

"Now." Bowser spoke, "get on with it."

"Huh?" She frowned.

"Didn't you hear what I just said?" He asked sharply.

_No, I was too busy mapping out my life as a fugitive vagabond, _she thought wryly.

The king folded his arms and leaned against one of the counters. He pointed to the stove top and quirked a brow meaningfully. She then remembered why she was here, or was supposed to be here. The steak. Someone in the kitchens must have been in on this, for there was a thawed, uncooked steak lying docilely in a pan atop the stove's grill.

"I can't." She stalled.

He lifted a brow and said, "Oh? Why not?"

"My hand, it's cut." She answered, showing him the bloody palm he'd aggravated earlier.

Bowser gazed at the reddened, wounded appendage unaffectedly. No pity. No remorse. By this stage in her 'relationship' with him as her heartless captor, she knew not to expect any of those, not in this lifetime.

"Won't you wrap a dishcloth around it?" He suggested carelessly.

She frowned, "A dishcloth?"

_Is he insane? I'll get infected or worse, not to mention it'll sting up a storm and probably make me cry. That's the last thing I wanna' do in front of him. But oh wait, why am I contemplating this? Of course he's not insane, he just doesn't care. _

"I can't do that." She told him firmly.

Bowser sighed and pushed himself off the counter. He started walking towards her and she held her back erect, chin still raised. She showed no fear. He only spared her a brief glance as he walked past. Before he got out the door, he stopped and spoke with his back to her.

"I'll be right back." He said, "Arm yourself if you like, but it won't do you any good. And don't even think about escaping; there are guards here."

Naturally, after he'd gone, she gave it a good eight seconds before hurrying out the double doors behind him. She was immediately impeded by the Koopas that he said would be there. They need only fix her with that horrid black glare for her to retreat to the kitchen once more.

_Okay, so running is out, _she deduced, _for now. Onto weapons. _

Bowser had told her it would do no good if she were to arm herself, but she begged to differ. There was always good in having _something, _even if it were going to be taken from her. At least she would stand a chance.

Daisy took a standard knife, the same size as a plain butter knife but much sharper, and moved to the sink. She took the rag and ripped a piece of it off, then wrapped it around the blade before sticking it in her shoe. She then grabbed the biggest carving knife she could find, and also the second largest one as well. She kept these on hand, these were decoys, red herrings of sorts. She wanted to throw the king off. And speaking of that scornful bane, he was back.

Through the double doors he strolled, banging them open as was his style, and with him was his Court.

_Great, like I need them right now, _she grimaced.

Daisy hid the knives behind her back and then got a better idea: _why let him take these from me when I could just make things easier on myself? _

She laid the blades on the ends of the counter, quickly draping a rag over each of them. Then she turned back to where Bowser and his magicians were. The king was back at the counter while his Court made their way over to her. She forced herself not to shrink back, even with the memory of all the pain they'd caused her still fresh in her mind.

"Your hand," The cloaked one called Grimus implored.

She blinked and was still.

"Give them your hand, precious." Bowser instructed. "They'll be so kind as to heal it for you."

_Oh right, he wants his steak, _she realized.

Reluctantly Daisy stretched forth her injured hand, that was already smarting as if in anticipation of some forthcoming unpleasantness. But to her relief the magician only healed her, as Bowser said he would. One of them enshrouded her palm and digits in blue light while the other chanted something simultaneously. She was left with a pale white scar where that cut used to be. Even the blood was gone, the wet sticky sort and the sort that was beginning to dry and crust over. It was a relief.

_Now I'm not at such a disadvantage, _she thought, _er, I mean besides his size and strength and abilities that is. _

When the magicians then began patting her down, Daisy made a noise of surprise and leaped away from them. She frowned indignantly when they started closing in on her again.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Checking you for weapons, you silly girl." The king told her, "In fact, I think I'll do that instead."

"No!" She cried.

She would rather have the wizened old men check her than the king. With them she knew there was hate and hate alone, and that would keep them from violating her. But with Bowser, there was hate and lust and wanton desire. He would take things too far, he always did. She didn't want him near her. She might end up lashing out at him earlier than she'd planned.

"I'll let them do it." She almost pleaded.

The royal was immensely amused, and said, "Oh, but don't you like it when I touch you? I know I do."

_Sick, sick fiend, _she conveyed with her sharply narrowed eyes. He obliged her in that he let his Court do the patting down. They found nothing on her, and told the king as much. But Bowser was yet unconvinced.

"If you pull a weapon on me," He warned her, "I'll use it on you in ways you wouldn't like, my darling."

Daisy wanted to gag but all she did was make a disgusted face at the epithet. She ignored him and went over to the steak. As she turned on the fire at the grill, she glossed over the plan she'd been thinking of. Now, she wanted to make the steak. Get him to think she was playing along. And while he was consuming it, she would strike. First with the carving knife, and if that didn't do the trick, she'd use the other. The one in her shoe was a last resort, and her final act of defense would be to just run.

She glanced over her shoulder, behind her where the king was leaning on the counter by the sink. She hated him there, she wanted to be able to see him, to see what he was up to. Since she couldn't, the girl took a breath and went to work. The more she did that, the calmer she got. Neither the royal nor his subordinates made a sound as she seasoned the meat and prepared it the way she normally did. When it was the oven, she stood in front of it in wait with her arms folded. It was almost time. The meal would be done soon, and Bowser would eat it, would be distracted.

_Now where are those blades again? _

"Is it finished?"

Daisy stiffened. Standing behind her was the king, his arms around her middle and his mouth near her ear lobe. She shivered in revulsion and tried to shrug him off like a thrift store coat but he wouldn't budge.

"Almost." She answered.

_A__nd_ _so are you, _she added darkly. That actually made her smirk. Her, good and sweet Daisy. She convinced herself it was a combination of the irony of his asking that and her coinciding thought, coupled with the fact that he had no clue what was really on her mind. The killing was not the ulterior impetus behind her smile, she told herself. Wasn't it though?

No.

Of course not. That would just be wrong.

"Take it out," Bowser ordered into the side of her neck.

He picked at her skin there with his warm lips, kissing and raking his teeth over her flesh as if he'd eat her instead. And if that wasn't a chilling thought.

Daisy elbowed away from him, not as hard as she would have liked to, and did as he'd told her. She removed the steak from the hot oven and then slid it onto the pan. After the last steps were done, she forked the meat onto a plate and handed it to the king. He smirked down at it.

"It does look so very good," He murmured.

But then he handed the dish over to the one called Rhimes and told the magicians to scan the meal.

_But of course, _Daisy remembered, _he still thinks I poisoned him_. As she'd expected, the magicians had no such foul play to report of, and handed the dish back to their liege. Bowser tilted his head. Instead of pleasing the king, this news seemed to trouble him.

"Well if you didn't do it, who did?" He asked her.

"Did what?" she replied innocently.

The Dark King gazed at her critically and growled, "You know damn well what, now answer me!"

And there it was, his anger. So quick to make an appearance. She did well to step back but he balanced the plate easily in one hand and reached out to grip her chin in his fingers. His grip was hard and made the bones in her jaw hurt.

"Answer me, precious, and I won't have to hurt you." He crooned, gentle all of a sudden unlike his grip may suggest.

Daisy shook her head and said, "I don't know."

"Who are you working for?"

"I don't-"

"Don't tell me you don't know!" He roared.

Daisy flinched and decided to placate him. She wrung her hands together and figured out exactly what she would say before speaking again.

"Ludwig." She replied. "Ludwig is who I work for."

And as she might have predicted, he was a bit stunned, taken aback. Bowser released her chin and gazed off, to the side. His jade eyes seemed distant and foggy as he relayed his last encounters with the young man he'd deemed his protege. While he did that, Daisy inched over to the counter adjacent to the sink. That was where her two blades were lying, hidden beneath the rags still. She was in place when Bowser dismissed his magicians.

"Leave us," he commanded.

"But Majesty-"

"Get out!" He barked, not to be disobeyed.

They acquiesced in a flurry of dragging robes and shuffling feet and bowed heads, shutting the double doors behind them. With them gone, Daisy thought the king's wrath would thus be transferred to her but no, he was not angry. That grin was triumphant.

"Was that so hard?" He asked as he came near.

_Ludwig might be angry, but if I know him he'll work his way around this, _she hoped. She didn't like selling out the ex-enforcer who'd helped her so much, but if she continued to play her cards just right, there would be no king to dole out repercussions.

"Now tell me," Bowser drawled, "How long have you been working with Ludwig?"

Daisy put her arm behind her. "From the start."

"How very interesting." He remarked.

She subtly worked her fingers up the counter, under the rag, and around the hilt of that big carving blade. Bowser was none the wiser as he mulled over her admission.

"Did he send you here?"

"Yes."

"And for what purpose, my darling?"

"I don't know."

Bowser's face became slated, his features muted. He stepped right in front of her and put his palms flat on either side of the counter next to her elbows. Now her arm was stuck in an uncomfortable position, and if she tried to bring it around she'd either have to let go of the knife (which she _wasn't _doing) or lose momentum from where she would inevitably cut his arm on the way to his heart. That obstruction would no doubt give him time to burn her or do something to stop his death.

"Look at me."

She hadn't heard whatever it was he was saying before so now he had his fingers over her throat, nudging her head up so that her light eyes met his. She swallowed and kept a clammy hold on that knife.

"Is he your lover?"

"You asked me that," She immediately stated.

"Is he?" Bowser pressed, "Has he touched you since you've been here?"

"Huh?"

"Answer me." The king hissed.

"No." She replied honestly, thinking, _that's just...that would be so...no. _

The face she was making probably sealed the deal in getting the capricious royal to believe her this second time around.

"Who took my son?"

"I don't know."

"Who took my woman?" The king then asked, "Was it Ludwig? Or the other one? The one in my dungeons?"

Flippantly she replied, "I don't know; I wasn't there."

"You'll be there to see your boyfriend hung if you don't cooperate." He threatened casually.

The girl sobered quickly at that.

The Dark King asked, "So did the plumber take my woman?"

"No." She answered.

"Then why is he here?" He countered.

Daisy was quiet. She had forgotten about Luigi almost. She had to be successful, otherwise he would still be here and would have to deal with whatever vengeful rage Bowser had against her.

"Well?" Bowser snapped.

She blinked and asked, "What?"

"Why is that punk here? Did Ludwig send him too?" He asked.

"I don't think so."

"Oh? So he came on his own?" Bowser asked, then sneered, "Did he come to rescue you?"

"And if he did?" she challenged.

The king barked out a laugh. "Then I'd say what a sorry sap he is, because you're mine."

"I don't belong to you!" Daisy glared.

"Don't make me prove you wrong, little girl." He warned in a husky voice.

"If I stay here," She bargained, "will you let Luigi go?"

Bowser sneered and said, "Why should I?"

"Because he didn't do anything wrong; he only came here to help me." She argued.

That was stretching things but oh well: if it worked, it worked.

It didn't work.

"That little shit attacked me," Bowser told her, "He's hardly innocent. And besides, he has answers about this whole mess that I'd like to get from him."

Daisy said softly, "I could give you those answers."

"You could give me lies."

"I won't lie."

"You're lying to me now."

Daisy worried her lip.

"There's nothing you can say," Bowser said, "That would make me release him...But there might be something you can _do _that would change my mind."

"...Like what?" She asked warily.

He reached behind her and seized her wrist, the one where the carving knife was there still clenched in her fist incriminatingly. She flushed at having been found out but he only smirked.

"Like not stab me, for starters." He chided with a grin.

To her dismay he checked her other side and saw the rag-covered knife there. He then tossed both weapons away, far from her immediate reach. Her disappointment was short-lived, because that unpleasant pinch under her right sole meant that she had but one more item at her disposal. She was wise not to smile and let on her cunning, though. So Bowser continued to grin as if he'd won something.

"Now," He stated, "If you really want to do your boyfriend any favors, you'd better do it now."

"I don't understand," She frowned.

"You said you want me to spare his worthless life, ne?" The king asked.

She nodded slowly.

"Then persuade me, my darling." He commanded, "Show me why I should deny myself the utmost _pleasure_ of seeing one of my most annoying enemies slain."

Daisy swallowed hard. _I said I would play along, but by my terms only. So I will, for Luigi's sake. Besides, he won't have to know about this if I can kill the Dark King. _She blinked hard and took a breath.

Then she whispered, "I could give you m-more."

A fire ignited in those gold flecks within his jade eyes. When he heard those words coming from her mouth, his body reacted in the way that a pack of wolves would upon being thrown a giant slab of raw meat.

"You can give me more? More what, precious? Pleasure?" He whispered heavily.

The king bowed his head over her mouth and caught each shortened breath of hers when she responded.

"Yes."

_Just think about something else, anything else, it'll be over soon. _

"I don't think you can," He challenged.

And with his mouth so close to hers, she pushed herself up on the balls of her feet and pecked her lips against his. It wasn't a kiss, her mouth was too tightly shut, but the taste of her petal-soft, cherry red lips aroused a more primeval part in him and that was all the invitation he needed to take control.

She did remain platonic while he ravaged her mouth with his own. She ignored every instinct screaming inside her to combat his advances as he tasted and touched what didn't belong to him, for she was biding her time. Part of her was amazed that this was all it took for him to lose himself. Her body, it was a powerful thing. She only just now truly realized that. And not a moment too late, either, for it was working grandly in her favor.

Bowser clamped his hands over her thighs as he moved from her mouth down her jaw and the side of her throat, and she held her trembling at bay. He hooked an arm under her knees and lifted her from the floor to the counter. There he parted her legs and let himself through: she felt the panic rise in her again.

_He's not going to rape me. I won't let him rape me, _she chanted to calm herself. She had to remain in control for that mantra to ring true.

So she allowed him, no, encouraged him to keep trailing kisses along her neck by moving a shaky hand to the back of his head. She hated herself for it, but it was starting to feel less like torment and more like. Like something else. Her body was getting hot and a faint sweat was starting to coat her skin. And then he had to speak to her, as if his hands and mouth weren't dangerous enough he had to bring that low, seductive, hoarse voice of his into the mix to cloud her mind.

"For your sake," he breathed, "I hope you know what you're doing."

And she did. She wouldn't unleash this predatory beast within him unless she had a plan. This was a double-edged sword, she was finding out firsthand now, and so she had to act quickly lest she succumb to him.

_I have to stay focused, _she thought, _the knife is in my shoe, so if I could just get it out. But how? His body's in the way. Maybe if I..._Mortification prevented her from putting into words her next actions. She colored a bit as she did them, too: with hesitance she brought her leg up the side of his hip, slowly because it was starting to quiver from a sum of bad nerves and augmenting emotions. Bowser noticed what she was doing and took her thigh, hooking it around his torso the rest of the way along with her other leg. Now she was closer than she ever wanted to be to this tyrant and to make matters worse, he was starting to turn her on. When he ground his body into hers and bit down on her neck, she knew it was now or never, as in she had to kill this man now or she'd never untangle her legs from around him of her own volition.

Daisy craned her head over his shoulder, trying her damn hardest to ignore that heat that was growing each time he stroked his fiery tongue over her neck or rocked his body into hers. Instead she made a show of sliding her hands down his back in order to get to the knife in her shoe. Her hands turned to hooked fingers turned to nails as his ministrations became more intense. But she got down to her shoe and pried it from her foot with quivering digits. The blade, still wrapped in a rag, was clenched between two of her toes. She was doing it more against the roiling pleasure than to hold onto the knife, truth be told.

_The man is a monster but he knows what he's doing, _she grudgingly knew, _and he's making this so hard for me. _

With the knife in her hand, she channeled the last of her waning will into bringing the knife up past his spine and pushing that blade deep into the back of his neck. Instantly the king still, then pulled back and regarded her. His eyes widened and twitched twice. He pulled back his hand and slapped her hard, then fell onto the floor. Daisy sat there, cheek burning, and stared at the fallen king. She cupped her hand to her stinging face absently in that silent kitchen and blinked.

_Is he dead? _

He lay on his side, with the blade still lodged at the nape of his neck. It hadn't gone far, but there he lay motionless, his crimson blood pooling around him. She averted her eyes and hopped gingerly down from the counter. She looked around for the knife he'd thrown; there, over by the stove, they were there. She crossed the room and headed towards them.

Her steps seemed too small, too slow; she didn't seem to get there fast enough. And when she bent down to pick them up, she felt it. Something in the air had changed, and fast. Very carefully she grasped one of the knives and stood up. Panting shallowly and trembling all over, Daisy turned around.

"Where."

_No. _

"The _**fuck."** _

_No! _

"Do you think."

_No, no, please, no! _

"You're going?"

_No! He can't be! It's not real! He can't be! I just! _

Her eyes did not lie, the Dark King yet lived. He stood there, leaning on the counter opposite her for support, holding a hand to the back of his head. He winced deeply, like a lion baring its fangs, as he ripped the knife from his skull and studied it with wild eyes.

Daisy spread her feet and held her knife out in front of her in both hands, though she couldn't keep the thing still. Bowser sneered at her.

"You _viper__!" _He spat, "You little bitch, you just don't learn, do you? You're mine."

"No." she choked out, steadying the knife.

"Yes you are!" He roared, "You can't kill me, you stupid little creature, don't you understand?!"

His voice was mightier than the four walls in the kitchen and she felt herself shudder at the force of it. He began ambling towards her, his intentions clear in the way he held the knife out towards her. Blind fear had her stumbling backwards. When he was upon her she swiped at him with the blade but that was over quickly; he crushed her wrist when he wrapped his fist around it and set it afire, then plunged the other blade, still coated in his own blood, into her stomach.

She screamed and pulled her good hand to her belly while trying to wipe the hot melted metal from her burned fingertips on the side of her dress. The sight of the red, blistering thing that was just a few seconds ago her hand nearly made her vomit. Bowser cackled and kept his hands ablaze. His cruel laughter gave rise to her feral anger, which in turn fueled her to think in a more unorthodox, sadistic way. She reached into her hair and pulled that expensive diamond-encrusted, bar-shaped clip from her locks. His confused expression was replaced with a look of anguish as she jammed the thing into one of his jade eyes.

Daisy was free from him and she used her independence wisely, heading around him to the stove where the pan sat atop a fire that was still going. It was nice and hot when she hefted the handle into both of her hands. It was her turn to shriek again at the white-hot agony that almost made her drop her weapon: her blistered hand was giving her hell. But she grabbed a rag from the sink for that and the cool, wet, food-stained cloth alleviated a tiny bit of the stinging.

The girl balanced the hot pan in her hands and gritted her teeth against her punctured stomach. She set her features in this mask of a hardened killer, a thick-skinned murderer. One that was unaffected by her fleshly casualties for all the haze that taking a life. She didn't flinch when she swung the pan back, nor did she bat an eye when it connected with the side of Bowser's alarmed face. She swung the thing at him again, and again to make him fall to his knees. Once more to the back of his neck where she'd stabbed him, and two more times because she hated him that much. The last time she hit him, she let the pan drop down next to his bludgeoned skull and marveled distantly at the way he lay there, face-down, unmoving. This time she was not so foolish as to believe him dead, even if he were. She fell to her knees since they'd buckled and crawled over to where that other knife was.

The girl wiped the back of her sweaty, bloody arm over her face and grabbed the slightly smaller carving blade. With it, she started to make her way back over to the king. It was an arduous crawl, her blistered hand and bleeding stomach making things difficult, and her knees refusing to allow her to walk properly. Every time her stomach clenched, she saw black dots and little white stars in the thresholds of her vision, she had to take in deep gasping breaths and struggle to stay upright. She gripped the knife, though, and slammed it down against the tiled floor with each inch she covered in her journey to the king's felled body. Her muscles trembled and ached and threatened to go limp on her but she pushed herself. When she finally made it to his boots, she grabbed onto one of them and used it to pull herself farther towards him. The girl straddled his waist and leaked blood all over his shirt, darkening it a crude, burgundy color. She gripped the knife in her good hand and raised it high, high above her head until the cut on her stomach tore. That was when she shrieked and slammed the blade into the middle of his spine, between his blades. She stabbed him once because that's all she had in her, but oh did she drive that blade in deep.

"This." She coughed, "this is for everything you put me through, you _bastard!" _

Her scream was full of righteous fury and pain, so much pain. The girl pursed her lips and gave the hilt a rough twist, then let it stay there, lodged in the king's still body. She panted with her palm against his soaked shirt and her injured one up to her chest. Her body swayed dizzily and her head grew light. In all this she didn't notice that she wasn't alone.

No, she wasn't the only who'd found out about the wards being down around the palace. A certain young man stood off to the side, completely unseen because the girl was too engrossed with the aftermath of her encounter and the male below her, having been the victim of that encounter, was now unconscious. This young man might have been a bit more concerned with the state of the king, who was somewhat of a superior to him though he'd never admit it, but at the moment he was too enthralled with the girl.

The girl.

That girl. She was a thing of immense wonder to him, all messy and weak and yet so resilient, so strong. Who would have guessed that it would be her to have slighted the mighty Dark King in a way that left him bloodied on the kitchen floor? Who would have thought it would be her? This girl, this sweet-faced former princess? Certainly not him, and he'd been known to place faith in oddities such as this. This girl had him feeling something, he couldn't figure out just what at the time, but she had him feeling some kind of way.

And then she collapsed.

In a heap she lay atop the king in an almost intimate sort of embrace, were it not for all the blood, that is. The sight unnerved him, propelled him to step over to her and remove her from that unfitting bed of a man and settle her in his arms. He gazed down at her face, a serene, docile one it was, and shook his head: what a confounding young thing she was.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! Don't you dare hesitate to leave a review, you guys, I love, love, LOVE hearing what you have to say! It's a huge reason behind why I keep posting chapters, heh. **

**So yeah, like I said, this chapter got pretty ugly. But the worst is not over. Luigi is down there, in a cell, unknowing of what's transpired. How will he take the news? How will Bowser's Court take the news? And Mario? **

**And what about Peasley? Anybody care about him? Some people have been asking, so I'll be getting to his side of things soon :) **

**As usual, I'll see you guys next update. Until that time...**

**~DymondGold~**


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